“We always believed that the time when Stepanakert is involved in the negotiations will come. In my opinion, if it does not happen shortly, it will happen when an agreement based on Madrid principles is reached. As it will be a peace agreement of Karabakh conflict, it definitely mentions the people’s lot, Nagorno-Karabakh status, thus cannot do without NKR representatives,” said OSCE MG Co-Chair Yuri Merzlyakov in Nagorno-Karabakh with his U.S. and French counterparts.

The Russian Co-Chair assures that NKR will definitely participate in the adoption of fundamental documents on Karabakh peace process. However, currently the efforts to clarify the principles that further discussions will be based on are made. At that the Co-Chairs refused to name them as such.

According to Merzlyakov, the newly appointed U.S. Co-Chair Robert Bradtke was introduced to Karabakhi side. “As always, when arriving to Stepanakert, we have discussed issues on Nagorno-Karabakh conflict settlement and the ongoing negotiation process,” he stated.

OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs Robert Bradtke (U.S.), Bernard Fassier (France) and Yuri Merzlyakov (Russia) arrived in Stepanakert October 2 to meet with NKR President Bako Sahakyan. The Co-Chairs met with RA President Serzh Sargsyan yesterday, whereas the Baku meeting with Azerbaijani President is scheduled for October 4-6.