Another Karabakh conflict settlement stage with the participation of Armenia, Russia and Azerbaijan presidents is over. It shows that the sides did not reach any agreement but major disagreements between them. Matthew Bryza, the most optimistic among OSCE Minsk Group Co-chairmen towards Karabakh negotiation process, could not conceal his disappointment. Despite the confidential nature of the negotiation process, however accompanying by massive information campaign, it is not difficult to make conclusions on the non-efficient outcome over Karabakh issue at this stage as well.

One thing is quite obvious: Azerbaijan, in its opinion, skillfully combining statements on peaceful settlement of Karabakh conflict and threats of military interference, has played off. Although no official clear statement concerning the negotiation results is released at the moment, however it is quite clear that Armenia has toughened its position on a number of issues. On the threshold of Moscow negotiations, Edward Nalbandyan, RA Minister of Foreign Affairs remembered at last that besides negotiating and focusing on Azerbaijani refugees, better to highlight the issue of 400 thousand Armenian refugees. Nalbandyan told the journalists “that at the present negotiation stage to negotiate over refugees’ return to their places of origin is not relevant. Negotiations related to the return of refugees will be considered only after the final settlement of the conflict”. Eventually the Armenian counterpart reminded of indigenous residents of Baku, Kirovabad, Sumgait and other towns of Azerbaijan who being of Armenian origin fled away in the result of mass extermination and assassinations. Taking into consideration OSCE MG co-chairmen’s clarification that new disagreements and circumstances have originated over Karabakh conflict resettlement, we can easily assume that the Armenian side at last has referred to the issue of Armenian refugees. Consequently Azerbaijani refugees cannot return to Nagorno-Karabakh unless the conflict is not settled.

Meanwhile the situation over the issue is as follows: mediators forecasts to reach a solid agreement during the negotiation process by the end of he second half of 2009, was premature; next meeting between presidents of Armenia and Azerbaijan is foreseen in October and the date for signing the framework agreements on regulation base principals is anticipated in December.