STEPANAKERT. – Despite maintaining the trend of the previous statements, the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs’ statement as per to the results of the Armenian and Azerbaijani foreign ministers’ meeting Wednesday in Paris, nonetheless, contains new elements.

Davit Babayan, press secretary of the President of the Republic of Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh Republic/NKR), told the aforesaid to Armenian News-NEWS.am. He noted this when asked to comment on the results of Wednesday’s talk.

Babayan, at the same time, noted that in reality, the new elements are the well-forgotten old ones which have many times appeared at various phases in resolving the Nagorno-Karabakh (Artsakh) conflict.

As before, the statement stresses the need for a pacific settlement of the conflict.

“It’s a very interesting formulation about concrete steps and preparing for peace—not for the resolution or the settlement [of the conflict]; this assumes long-term action and equivalence,” Babayan highlighted. “The societies should realize that there is no alternative to peace, there is no return to the past, there should not be losers and winners; there should be a common ground.

“On the other hand, concrete steps assume a dialogue of all parties [to the conflict]; that is, a return to full format of negotiations.”

Also, Davit Babayan recalled that first and foremost, Azerbaijan and Artsakh are the conflicting sides, and solely then—Armenia.

As for the economic projects that are noted in the statement, Babayan said the Artsakh authorities have repeatedly spoken about this prospect.

“Stepanakert has many times offered [Azerbaijan] cooperation in the domain of exchange of some part of water resources,” he added. “But Baku has refused.”

The Artsakh President’s press secretary went on to say that one should not forget the reality that Azerbaijan says one thing, but does something else.

What was discussed with Armenia’s Mnatsakanyan and Azerbaijan’s Mammadyarov?