Russia pledges to assist actively in search for compromise solutions to Karabakh conflict
By Abdul Kerimkhanov
The ceasefire agreement, reached between Armenia and Azerbaijan with the direct mediation of Russia in 1994, allowed ceasing the massive bloodshed and launching the process of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict settlement by political and diplomatic means.
The statement was issued by Russia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs in connection with the execution of the 25th anniversary of signing the Bishkek Protocol.
The ceasefire agreement entered into force on May 12 still remains a basis for the ceasefire preservation, the statement says.
The Nagorno-Karabakh settlement process is complicated, it is experiencing ups and downs, and it takes time and political will for its participants to come to an agreement on key settlement aspects, the Ministry said. “Moscow sees the parties' readiness to continue joint work aimed at achieving sustainable peace.”
The statement emphasized that this is evidenced by the results of the last meeting of the Armenian and Azerbaijani leaders in Vienna and the talks of the two countries' foreign ministers in Moscow.
Moscow, for its part, pledges to assist actively Baku and Yerevan in the search for compromise solutions.
“As before, we will continue to undertake consistent mediation efforts within the framework of the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairmanship together with the U.S. and France,” the statement concluded.
The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries arose in 1988 due to the territorial claims of Armenia against Azerbaijan. Nagorno-Karabakh and seven adjacent regions - 20 percent of the territory of Azerbaijan - are under the occupation of the Armenian armed forces.
In May 1994, the parties reached a ceasefire regime, and lauched peace negotiations under the auspices of the OSCE Minsk Group and with the co-chairmanship of Russia, France and the U.S.
The four resolutions adopted by the UN Security Council on the liberation of the occupied Nagorno-Karabakh and the adjacent territories have not yet been implemented by Armenia.
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Abdul Kerimkhanov is AzerNews’ staff journalist, follow him on Twitter: @AbdulKerim94
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