Armenian Foreign Ministry criticizes Elmar Mammadyarov for haste

Baku/18.04.19/Turan: The representative of the Armenian Foreign Ministry Anna Naghdalyan said that the desire to become a herald of a yet uncoordinated meeting does not contribute to the formation of a normal working environment based on mutual trust. She said it Commenting on the statement by Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov on the US initiative to hold a regular ministerial meeting in Washington.

"As is known, after confirmation of each meeting within the framework of the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, it is reported in an agreed manner. Indeed, the possibility of holding a meeting in one of the co-chair countries, considering the geography of previous meetings, is being considered. Since this issue is still at the discussion stage, it is necessary to refrain from one-sided announcements and style of public negotiations. Moreover, to declare a meeting in one of the co-chair countries is a disrespectful attitude towards the participants of the process, and first of all towards this co-chair country," Naghdalyan said.

She also refuted Mammadyarov"s words that at a meeting in Moscow the ministers discussed some kind of 2016 settlement program. "Following the meeting, a joint statement of the parties involved was published, in which the topics discussed were already indicated. Joint statements are made precisely in order to summarize the language agreed by all participants of the meeting. Outside of agreed formulations, statements contradicting them do not contribute to strengthening mutual trust, especially if they are contrived and do not correspond to reality. Currently, negotiations are not being conducted on the basis of any program," Naghdalyan said. -02D-