Stepan Grigoryan: The results of the meeting of the Armenian and Azerbaijani presidents in Astrakhan October 27 are positive

YEREVAN, OCTOBER 29, ARMENPRESS: The results of the meeting of the Armenian and Azerbaijani presidents in Astrakhan October 27 are positive, head of the “Globalization and Regional Cooperation Analytical Center”, political analyst Stepan Grigoryan said a news conference today. According to him, the agreement on exchange of refugees and bodies is a very significant achievement. “This meeting differs from the previous ones with the concrete statements that were voiced here. If during the previous meetings it was spoken generally, and it was noted that they are ready to continue the cooperation, in this case clear formulations were given,” Mr Grigoryan said. He finds that in the coming meeting in Astana the presidents of Armenia and Azerbaijan should fix in a document all those provisions over which there exists bilateral consent.

Stepan Grigoryan and Azerbaijani expert Rauf Rajabov signed in Tbilisi October 23 a joint agreement where a number of points on the regulation of the Armenian and Azerbaijani relations were pointed out.

They welcome the negotiations over the Karabakh conflict settlement but think that the conflict will not be solved through them only. “Only negotiations are not enough in the solution of the issues between Armenia and Azerbaijan. Other approaches are also necessary. Particularly, we offer formation of economic relations between the two countries, cooperation in the cultural sphere, etc,” Stepan Grigoryan said. He noted that if the two countries cooperate in these issues the resolution of the Karabakh issue will be easier than in case of breaking off the ties completely.