16 September 2004 -- The presidents of Armenia and Azerbaijan today promised to continue attempts to resolve their long dispute over the enclave of Nagorno-Karabakh.
Ilham Aliyev of Azerbaijan and Robert Kocharian of Armenia made the remarks after late-night talks in the Kazakh capital Astana. The discussion was mediated by Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Kocharian said at a joint news conference with Aliyev that more time is needed, but that "the process is continuing in a constructive way."
Aliyev said, "further development can resolve this question." Neither side gave any details of their three-hour meeting.
Nagorno-Karabakh is an enclave in Azerbaijan that has been under the control of ethnic Armenian forces for more than a decade. A cease-fire was signed in 1994 after Azerbaijani forces were driven out, but the ethnic Armenian enclave's final status has not been resolved and clashes still occur occasionally.
(AFP)
Kocharian said at a joint news conference with Aliyev that more time is needed, but that "the process is continuing in a constructive way."
Aliyev said, "further development can resolve this question." Neither side gave any details of their three-hour meeting.
Nagorno-Karabakh is an enclave in Azerbaijan that has been under the control of ethnic Armenian forces for more than a decade. A cease-fire was signed in 1994 after Azerbaijani forces were driven out, but the ethnic Armenian enclave's final status has not been resolved and clashes still occur occasionally.
(AFP)