Russian Co-Chairman of the OSCE Minsk Group Yuri Mezlyakov refuted the claims that he had allegedly stated that Armenia rejected the mediators’ new proposals concerning the Nagorno-Karabakh peace process. “There is a shorthand record of my words,” he told NEWS.am.

According to RFE/RL, during his visit to Stepanakert, Mr. Merzlyakov alleged stated that Armenia disagreed with the mediators’ new proposals. Responding to NEWS.am correspondent’s question concerning amendments to the Madrid Principles, Merzlyakov said: “They are not amendments, but proposals concerning the principles that had not been agreed on. They are stages of the work, which is going on.” Merzlyakov pointed out that at his meeting with the Armenian Foreign Minister on March 29 the two did not discuss any specific wording of the principles. He did not say if the mediators are preparing new proposals for the forthcoming Armenian-Azerbaijani presidential meeting. Merzlyakov pointed out that the question should be addressed to Kazakhstan, which is chairing the OSCE and has actually initiated the meeting.

T.P.