May 12, 2007 - 17:32 AMT
Some factors cast shadow on Armenia's optimism in Karabakh issue
When addressing the 117th session of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe Armenian Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian said he hopes for soonest agreement on the Karabakh issue with Azerbaijan.

"This hope is conditioned by the contents of the negotiation document, the principles fixed in it and the progress achieved due to the understanding of all the sides that the people of Nagorno Karabakh should themselves decide on the status of their state via referendum and with observance of the right to self-determination," he said.

At the same time the RA FM said there are some factors that cast shadow on Armenia's optimism in Karabakh issue. "The first is the variance between the essence of the talks and militant public statements by the Azeri leadership. Deliberate demolition of Armenian monuments in Nakhichevan deepened distrust between Azerbaijan and Armenia. Nevertheless, the document on the bargaining table is balanced and fundamental and we will continue working at it," Mr Oskanian said, the RA MFA press office reported.