Hoping to overcome Armenian objections, three-nation team has revised initiative to end war for control of Nagorno-Karabakh enclave in Azerbaijan.

The peace plan, drafted by the United States, Russia and Turkey, calls for the withdrawal of Armenian troops from the occupied Azerbaijan region of Kelbajar. A ceasefire and peace negotiations would follow.

Nagorno-Karabakh, a mountainous territory populated by ethnic Armenians, has declared independence from Azerbaijan but it is not recognized by any nation. It is represented in negotiations by Armenian government.

Fighting has left more than 3000 people dead since 1988.

Azerbaijan signed original peace plan, but Armenia demanded clarification on the role of international observers and future military status of Kelbajar, when it occupied in early April.

Armenian President Levon-Ter Petrosian praised Russia’s positive and constructive role in trying to settle the conflict and said his country would respond to new proposal, the ITAR-TASS news agency reported this week from Armenian capital Yerevan.

Asim Mullazadeh, Azerbaijan’s representative to the Nagorno-Karabakh talks, described new initiate as similar to old expect for “individual provisions added on Armenia’s insistence” Interfax news agency reported Thursday. It said Azerbaijan also will respond by Wednesday.

According to diplomatic source, the new initiative says lightly armed Azerbaijani police would be reintroduced in Kelbajar and international observer would verify Armenian pullout.

Armenia had sought these and other changes,

Original intuitive did not provide for international observers to monitor the withdrawal and cessation of hostilities.

Armenians in Nagorno-Karabakh were reluctant to give up Kelbajar without strong international observer forces. They claim they seized territory between Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh to halt Azerbaijan attacks.

Armenian news agency Stark noted that new proposal did not include the shipment of oil, gas and energy supplies to Armenia. Azerbaijan has halted the shipment of desperately needed energy supplies to Armenia, because of fighting.  

The new timetable sets withdrawal from Kelbajar from May 29 to June 3.  

This news is originally published in Associate Press.