As a result, the question of Nagorny Karabakh's status had -- according to Mr Ter-Petrosian -- been postponed until "after completion of the first stage".
The Karabakhi leader, Arkadi Gukasian, however, said this week that NagornyKarabakh was willing, as he put it, to "sacrifice certain elements of independence" in order to forge better relations with Azerbaijan.