International mediators in the Nagorno-Karabakh peace talks expressed reserved optimism following the latest round of talk between Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev.
"In some areas, progress was made. At the same time, some issues still remain open," the co-chairs of the Minsk Group that is overseeing the peace process said in a November 23 statement. The statement did not delve into the specifics of the presidential talks, which occurred November 22 in the German city of Munich. Meanwhile, the Armenian and Azerbaijani foreign ministers offered praise for the constructive nature of the talks, but they added that no breakthroughs appeared imminent, Azerbaijan's APA news agency reported on November 23.
Azerbaijani and Turkish media outlets reported that the Munich talks centered on the return of swathes of Armenian-controlled territory that surround Karabakh. Armenia occupied the territories during the Nagorno-Karabakh war before a ceasefire was secured in 1994.