Minister Oskanian participated in the first meeting of the second stage of Prague Talks, under the aegis of the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs. The talks took place in Prague on January 10 and 11, with the participation of Armenia¹s Minister of Foreign Affairs, as well as his Azerbaijani counterpart, Elmar Mammadyarov. Also present were Ambassador Yuri Merzlyakov, Russian co-chair, Steven Mann, US co-chair and Ambassador Bernard Fassier, the new French co-chair. Ambassador Andrej Kasprcyk, the OSCE Chairman-in-Office¹s personal representative, was also present.

Minister Oskanian expressed cautious optimism about the meeting. ³There is a general framework of issues that are being discussed,² he said. ³This meeting showed that those issues need to be further consolidated,² he continued. The Armenian side repeated during the talks that all elements of the conflict ­ its causes and consequences ­ are on the table, and there must be agreement on all issues in order to achieve a lasting peace.

Armenia¹s Foreign Minister said the meeting took place in a positive atmosphere, and that another meeting is expected during the next two months.