Russian presidential candidate speaks on ways to resolve Nagorno-Karabakh conflict
By Rashid Shirinov
The Nagorno-Karabakh conflict can be resolved only through negotiations, and there are no other options for its settlement, said Pavel Grudinin, Communist Party’s candidate for the 2018 Russian presidential election.
“In my opinion, the Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict must be settled only at the negotiating table. Nobody needs war,” the politician told APA on March 7.
He also noted that Russia is currently playing a stabilizing role in the Caucasus region.
“Russia has a certain responsibility… I believe that Azerbaijan and Armenia will find a peaceful and mutually beneficial way to resolve the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict through the mediation of Russia,” Grudinin said.
Russia, along with the U.S. and France, is a co-chair country of the OSCE Minsk Group established to broker peace to the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.
Because of Armenia's territorial claims on Azerbaijani lands, the two Caucasian 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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