'Negotiation process on complex stage', said US co-chair of the OSCE Minsk Group Robert Bradtke.
US co-chair of the OSCE Minsk Group Robert Bradtke told in his interview with BBC that the most different for the co-chairs is the organization of frequent meetings of the presidents of Azerbaijan and Armenia.
The co-chair compared the negotiation process with a bicycle 'you will fall if you stop'.
"It is necessary not to focus on the hindrances at the current stage of talks, the parties should try to look into the future. In this issue it is necessary to raise the role of leaders of the OSCE Minsk Group states. The growing role is proven by the recent statement in Canada and the recent visit of the Secretary of State. Mrs. Clinton voiced a great thought during the visit saying 'sometimes last steps to peace turn to be most difficult ones', Bradtke said answering the question whether “the US has developed a new approach to the Karabakh conflict"?
Robert Bradtke noted that the conflict settlement must be based on Helsinki principles.
'They accept six elements, twice presented by presidents Obama, Sarkozy and Medvedev. This is the temporary and final status of Nagorno Karabakh, return of occupied lands, the corridor communicating Armenia and Karabakh, return of refugees and IDPs and provision of peace'.
The US co-chair noted that these elements must become a part of settlement. 'At the current stage the co-chairs need to coordinate these elements with the Helsinki principles, then reflect them in a framework agreement and then built the final talks on settlement on this bases. We are currently on an important and most difficult stage', Bradtke said.
The US co-chair noted that the presidents of Azerbaijan and Armenia demonstrate political will to reach peace: 'The main issue is the organization of the frequent meetings of presidents. This is a difficult issue for us. Each of the presidents says he wants peace and the opposite side does not want it'.
Comparing the presidents, the US co-chair added that they are not similar: 'Their styles and approaches are different. But I am confident that both presidents adhere to search of ways of peaceful settlement of the conflict'.
In addition, Robert Bradtke stressed the threat posed by the situation: 'This is not the frozen conflict. People still die on the front line'.
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