The wish for a dialogue and compromise should be the basis of any settlement, Russian President Vladimir Putin stated at a joint news conference with French President Jacques Chirac and German Chancellor Angela Merkel. "If the conflicting sides demonstrate political will we can await positive results. Russia is ready to stand a guarantor of possible agreements. This is a common approach to "frozen conflicts," Putin said.

For his part Jacques Chirac confirmed that the leaders did refer to the issue of "frozen conflicts" in the Caucasus and Moldova, where "the European Union and Russia should join efforts for peace," reported the Russian leader's press office.