Azernews.Az

Armenia has said it disagrees with some provisions of the updated version of the Madrid principles, an outline for settling the Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict over Upper (Nagorno) Garabagh proposed by international mediators, said the Russian co-chairman of the OSCE Minsk Group (MG) brokering the peace process.
Yuri Merzlyakov was quoted by the Armenian media as saying on Monday in Khankandi, the center of the self-proclaimed Upper Garabagh republic, that Yerevan is discontent with four provisions of the document. "But we are not trying to increase tension, because a similar situation with the Madrid principles was observed two years ago. Armenia was accepting the Madrid principles, while Azerbaijan was rejecting the proposals. We have done a great deal to reach a negotiated outcome."
The conflict between the two South Caucasus republics flared up in the late 1980s due to Armenia's territorial claims. Armenia has been occupying over 20 percent of Azerbaijan's territory since the early 1990s. The ceasefire accord was signed in 1994, but years of peace talks have brought few tangible results. The Minsk Group co-chairs representing the United States, Russia and France initially proposed a peace outline on settling the conflict in the Spanish capital in November 2007. In Athens in November 2009, the updated version of the Madrid Document was submitted to the sides, and it is presently under discussion. Baku supports the updated Madrid Document with some exceptions, which, according to Elkhan Polukhov, the spokesman for the Azerbaijan Foreign Ministry, include minor points regarding the wording of the conflict settlement principles and the translation of terms.
The MG co-chairs, including Bernard Fassier of France and Robert Bradtke of the United States, met with the separatist leaders in Upper Garabagh on Monday to discuss issues pertaining to the current stage in peace talks.
Bako Saakian, the leader of the self-proclaimed republic, stressed the alleged importance of the so-called Upper Garabagh Republic’s joining negotiations. The meeting, which also focused on the situation on the contact line of the Azerbaijani and Armenian troops, where ceasefire violations have intensified of late, was attended by the OSCE chairman’s special envoy Andrzej Kasprzyk.
The co-chairs arrived in Armenia as part of a visit to the region last Thursday. On Monday evening, the mediators returned to Yerevan where they met with President Serzh Sarkisian. Discussions on Garabagh settlement were continued during the meeting, which was attended by Foreign Minister Eduard Nalbandian, Armenian media reported.*