Yerevan, 3 November 1997 (RFE/RL) - Armenia says it will accept an international initiative on gradual settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh dispute with Azerbaijan.
Armenian news media published an article over the weekend by President Levon Ter-Petrossyan in which he called for the resumption of talks with Azerbaijan that were put on hold one year ago. He says "mutual concessions" are the only way to ensure that ethnic Armenians continue to populate the Nagorno-Karabakh enclave. But he adds, these concessions mean choosing between the lesser of two evils.
Ter-Petrossyan says the final decision on signing a peace settlement rests with the Karabakh leadership.
But he also warns of serious complications unless agreement is reached before the upcoming Council of Ministers session of the member countries of the Organization for Securitry and Cooperation in Europe.
Meanwhile, Armenian Foreign Minister Alexander Arzumanian said in Yerevan Saturday that Armenia has accepted the OSCE Minsk Group's call to resume negotiations. Itar-Tass quotes Arzumanian as saying Armenia will sign any document if Nagorno-Karabakh signs it.
Armenian news media published an article over the weekend by President Levon Ter-Petrossyan in which he called for the resumption of talks with Azerbaijan that were put on hold one year ago. He says "mutual concessions" are the only way to ensure that ethnic Armenians continue to populate the Nagorno-Karabakh enclave. But he adds, these concessions mean choosing between the lesser of two evils.
Ter-Petrossyan says the final decision on signing a peace settlement rests with the Karabakh leadership.
But he also warns of serious complications unless agreement is reached before the upcoming Council of Ministers session of the member countries of the Organization for Securitry and Cooperation in Europe.
Meanwhile, Armenian Foreign Minister Alexander Arzumanian said in Yerevan Saturday that Armenia has accepted the OSCE Minsk Group's call to resume negotiations. Itar-Tass quotes Arzumanian as saying Armenia will sign any document if Nagorno-Karabakh signs it.