Powell to open Garabagh peace talks

Will Russia pick up brokering initiative?

U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell will be in Key West, Florida, April 3 to open talks on finding a peaceful resolution to the Upper Garabagh dispute. Azerbaijani and Armenian Presidents will attend the talks, which are expected to last through April 6.

The OSCE-sponsored talks will be brokered by negotiation teams from the United States, Russia and France. Secretary Powell will also meet separately with both presidents in Key West. He will return to Washington late on April 3.

After a meeting in Florida, Presidents of Azerbaijan and Armenia may hold the next round of talks in Russia, according to Foreign Minister Vilayat Guliyev.

As is known, the meeting in Key West, Florida, will be held April 3 on the initiative of US Secretary of State Colin Powell.

Minister Guliyev said as co-chair in the OSCE Minsk Group and country with immense political and economic interests at stake in the region, Russia can facilitate the conflict solution. At the same time, Min. Guliyev voiced his concern that recent strain in US-Russian relations can adversely affect the process of settlement.

The minister ruled out the possibility of signing of a conflict settlement agreement in Key West, saying the Presidents would only exchange views.

Commenting on the likelihood of stationing Turkish military units in Azerbaijan, Min. Guliyev said if Armenia, a party to the conflict, is home to a third country's military base, Azerbaijan too needs to invigorate its military potential in order to restore the shattered balance. There have been no official appeals on part of Turkey yet, the minister said and emphasized a need for stepping up effort in this direction.