The Armenian-Azerbaijani-Russian presidential meeting in Sochi, March 5, opened a door to further negotiations for the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, OSCE Chairperson-in-Office, Lithuanian Foreign Minister Audronius Azubalis told a press conference held jointly with Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov, March 14.

The most important thing now is to remove obstacles to further negotiations. Settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict is one of the priorities of Lithuania`s chairmanship of the OSCE. The issue has been discussed with Azerbaijani officials, Azubalis said. All the OSCE member-states must clearly state their positions now, he said. The Lithuanian FM called on both sides to withdraw their snipers from the front line, Trend reports.

At their meeting in Sochi, the Armenia, Azerbaijani and Russian leaders adopted a joint statement on settling all the disputable issues in a peaceful way and investigating possible incidents on the line of contact with the parties` participation, under the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs` auspices and with the assistance of the Special Representative of the OSCE Chairman-in-Office.

Armenian News-NEWS.am reminds readers that Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan qualified the Sochi meeting as momentous. "There is a clear basis for negotiations and short-term agreements. Of course, the long-term negotiations are going on, and the Sochi meeting enabled us to trace a further course of action. The short-term agreements are important - they are aimed at strengthening the ceasefire and may prove a litmus test for the sides honoring their commitments. We must be able to relieve tension to conduct normal negotiations," the Armenian leader said.

The OSCE Chairman-in-Office is to be on a visit to the region on March 17-18.