Azernews.Az

By Abdul Kerimkhanov

The long-term efforts of Moscow and the OSCE Minsk Group on the Karabakh conflict settlement are aimed primarily at creating conditions for negotiations. A sufficient number of meetings took place both with the participation of the presidents and with the participation of the ministers of foreign affairs, at which ways of solving this problem were discussed. However, no progress in resolving the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict has yet been observed.

Further settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict will be based on creative ideas, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said at a weekly briefing, answering a question about finding ideas enabling to shape a new basis for talks between Baku and Yerevan.

Zakharova explained that during the meeting, Lavrov and Aliyev talked about the future of the Nagorno-Karabakh settlement after the legitimate authority was finally changed and confirmed in Armenia.

“Such ideas should be developed in the future and they should be creative,” she said.

She underlined that active work is underway to form such ideas. The creative ideas will be supported and now experts are doing this, Zakharova concluded.

Minister Sergey Lavrov voiced a week ago necessity to search for ideas enabling a new basis for talks between Baku and Yerevan after the talks with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev.

“We felt his sincere disposition to resume negotiations, to look for constructive solutions,” he said.

He stressed that Russia is a close partner of Azerbaijan and Armenia and as co-chair of the OSCE Minsk Group, will do everything to create the necessary conditions to reach a compromise.

Lavrov also expressed his hope that after the formation of a new government, the Armenian side will be ready to resume the negotiation process.

Answering the questions of reporters in Baku, he said Azerbaijan is sincerely committed to continue negotiations on the settlement of the Karabakh conflict.

The Caucasus has extremely important geopolitical significance for Russia. In strategic terms, Azerbaijan is undoubtedly more significant for Russia than Armenia. Therefore, an early resolution of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict should be in the interests of both Azerbaijan and Russia.

Azerbaijan keeps its stance in Nagorno-Karabakh conflict resolution unchanged. Any option for solution of the conflict should be based on the principle of the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan. UN resolutions must be implemented, the Armenian army must leave the occupied Azerbaijani lands and more than 1 million Azerbaijani citizens must return their native lands. As soon as the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan is restored, the government can grant people living in Nagorno-Karabakh a high status of autonomy within the territory of Azerbaijan.

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Abdul Kerimkhanov is AzerNews’ staff journalist, follow him on Twitter:​ @AbdulKerim94

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