Russian MFA urges to raise efficiency in settlement of Karabakh conflict
By Rashid Shirinov
It is necessary to increase not the activity, but efficiency in the process of negotiations on the settlement of the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, Russian Foreign Ministry’s Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said at a briefing on January 25.
She also noted that the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office, Italian Foreign Minister Angelino Alfano, will be on a working visit to Russia on February 1.
Zakharova said that during the meeting, it is planned to discuss assistance in the settlement of regional conflicts in the OSCE area, including in the South Caucasus.
Armed conflicts in the OSCE area, such as the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, conflicts in Georgia, Ukraine and Transnistria, have caused much suffering, displacement and destruction. All these conflicts must be solved through political means rather than by military force.
As for the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, Armenia still shows its reluctance to engage in serious talks to resolve the issue. The countries fought a lengthy war that ended with signing of a fragile ceasefire in 1994. Since the war, Armenian armed forces have occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan's territory, including Nagorno-Karabakh and seven surrounding regions. More than 20,000 Azerbaijanis were killed and over 1 million were displaced as a result of the large-scale hostilities.
While the OSCE Minsk Group acted as the only mediator in resolution of the conflict, the occupation of the territory of the sovereign state with its internationally recognized boundaries has been left out of due attention of the international community for years.
Until now, Armenia ignores four UN Security Council resolutions on immediate withdrawal from the occupied territory of Azerbaijan, thus keeping tension high in the region.
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Rashid Shirinov is AzerNews’ staff journalist, follow him on Twitter: @RashidShirinov
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