Interview by Matt Bryza in Armenia´s "Capital" Daily Newspaper

After the latest meeting of Armenian and Azerbaijani Presidents in Zurich it was announced that there are fewer points of disagreement on the negotiation table now. What particular achievement can we talk about?

We should not talk about any particular achievement of the talks in Zurich, as we must respect the presidents' need for confidentiality as they think through the difficult compromises they each must make in pursuit of a just and balanced agreement. What we can say is that in Zurich, the presidents generated new and positive momentum, expressed their readiness to meet more regularly, and asked the Co-Chairs to develop formulations to help them overcome their remaining differences.

There are speculations that 2009 could be a decisive year for an N-K settlement. These kinds of statements are mostly made by foreign officials, but the parties to the conflict are less optimistic about this. Why these differences?

The truth is that 2009 could, indeed, be a decisive year. It is simply a fact of human nature that foreign officials, especially mediators, are generally more optimistic about the prospects for an agreement than are the parties who have to make difficult compromises. The psychological weight of those difficult decisions makes the parties less optimistic than foreign officials who do not have responsibility for those tough choices with domestic political consequences.

Despite the commitment (e.g. in the Moscow declaration) that the problem must be solved politically, official Baku seems to have no intention to stop military rhetoric. Do you think it is for internal consumption?

There is no military solution to the conflict. The principle of non-use-of-force will need to be a core element of any peace agreement, if it is to be a balanced, just, and lasting settlement. Many statements, often contradictory, are made by various officials. I note yesterday's (February 13, 2009) ITAR-TASS story, which quotes President Aliyev as follows: "We believe the resources of the negotiating process have not been exhausted and our adherence to the peaceful process is the main argument that confirms our constructive approach."

Is there any mechanism (by the Minsk Group or other institution) to control out-of-negotiation processes and to bring societies psychologically closer to a settlement?

The most important mechanism to help prepare societies for the approaching settlement is for journalists to join the effort to build common understanding, rather than looking for opportunities to generate scandal. For that reason, I am so pleased to have a chance to respond to your questions. In addition, there are many non-governmental organizations in the region with whom my fellow Co-Chairs and I look forward to working.

You have recently said that your messages are not always properly rendered by the media. Particularly, the statement that the N-K settlement must be based on the principle of territorial integrity was interpreted differently in Armenia and Azerbaijan. Can you clarify please?

I have found that journalists in both Armenia and Azerbaijan often choose to quote only those elements of my statements that support their pre-existing arguments. To reach a just and lasting settlement, there must be a compromise among the parties that reflects the following key points:

• The United States, Russia, France, and all Minsk Group countries recognize Azerbaijan's territorial integrity, which is the most important principle for Azerbaijan.
• But, self-determination is the most important principle for Armenia.
• To be mutually agreed, any settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict must take into account territorial integrity and self-determination, as well as non-use-of-force.
• These three principles are core elements of the Helsinki Final Act.
• Striking a balance among these three principles that is mutually agreeable to the parties is what the Minsk Group's Basic Principles aim to do.

The Co-Chairs plan to visit the region at the end of February. What particular issues of the negotiation agenda will be their focus?

During our upcoming visit to the region, the Co-Chairs will follow up the request of the Presidents in Zurich to help them develop formulations that will resolve the remaining differences between the parties with regard to the Basic Principles.

You said that your further role as a Co-Chair would depend on the new U.S. administration's decision. Any news?

I serve as Co-Chair at the pleasure of the U.S. Secretary of State. It is up to her to decide whether I shall continue in this position. Regardless of what that decision may be, I hope to devote the rest of my career to helping the people of the South Caucasus secure their own peace, prosperity, and freedom.