Armenian President proposes "new ideas" in Karabakh settlement...

During talks with his Azerbaijani counterpart, Heidar Aliev, on the sidelines of the world economic summit in Davos last month, Robert Kocharian suggested two "new ideas" for resolving the Karabakh conflict, RFE/RL's Yerevan bureau reported on 4 February, quoting presidential spokesman Vahe Gabrielian. Gabrielian did not say what those ideas were, but he did comment that despite "some positive movement," the Davos talks did not yield "major progress" on resolving the conflict. On 3 February, the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry issued a note saying that the unrecognized Nagorno-Karabakh Republic's decision to demand entry visas from foreigners was a violation of Azerbaijan's sovereignty, ITAR-TASS and Turan reported. Baku warned that foreigners whose passports contain such a visa will be barred entry to Azerbaijan. LF
...MEETS WITH PARTY LEADERS

Kocharian on 4 February met with the leaders of Armenia's political parties to brief them on his recent visits abroad and to discuss economic issues, RFE/RL's Yerevan bureau reported. The domestic political situation was not discussed. "Orinats yerkir" leader Sergo Yeritsian said the meeting "marked the beginning of a political dialogue" between the president and other political forces. National Democratic Union Chairman Vazgen Manukian, who last month suggested that Kocharian was not in control of the political situation and should therefore resign, told journalists after the 4 February meeting that he had subsequently held a separate meeting with Kocharian, but he gave no details. LF