Medvedev, Sarkisian table Garabagh
Russian and Armenian Presidents Dmitry Medvedev and
Serzh Sarkisian discussed the Armenia-Azerbaijan Upper (Nagorno)
Garabagh conflict in Moscow on Thursday.
The Armenian leader thanked Russia and its president in particular for the invaluable contribution made to the Garabagh settlement.
Touching on Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev`s visit to Russia last week, Sarkisian said: "I have to say with a great deal of satisfaction that during the Azerbaijani president`s visit, your position remained unchanged and resolute when this problem came on the agenda. And, this position is that the conflict must be settled on the basis of all principles of international law. I am delighted that there is another country in the South Caucasus that deems Russia as its strategic partner, and this shows Russia`s increasing role and opportunities in the resolution of the Upper Garabagh conflict."
President Aliyev described Russia as "Azerbaijan`s neighbor, friend and strategic partner" and pledged to do his best to maintain this high level of partnership during talks with his Russian counterpart in Moscow on Friday.
The Russian and Armenian presidents also discussed bilateral relations, ways of countering the global financial crisis, the situation in the South Caucasus region and other key international issues. Political and military cooperation was mulled as well.
President Medvedev told the press following the talks that the current meeting as well as earlier negotiations with President Aliyev had demonstrated that the parties were trying hard to make a constructive effort toward a solution of this complicated conflict. "I think the steps being taken in this area are hope-inspiring."
The conflict between the two South Caucasus republics reared up in the late 1980s due to Armenia`s territorial claims. Armenia has been occupying over 20% of Azerbaijan`s internationally-recognized territory since the early 1990s in defiance of international law. The ceasefire accord was signed in May 1994, but over a decade of efforts by US, Russian and French mediators have been fruitless so far.
Moscow has lately considerably intensified its efforts toward settling the Garabagh conflict, Russian experts say. The Kremlin plans to arrange talks between the Azerbaijani and Armenian leaders in St. Petersburg this June in an effort to achieve certain agreement between the sides. The Russian president might attend the meeting as well. If Moscow manages to accomplish results during the trilateral talks, it will assert itself as the leading peace-making force in the turbulent region. Analysts believe that one of the main reasons for Russia`s recent activeness in the Garabagh peace process is that following its brief war with Georgia in August 2008, the superpower is trying to repair its image by acting as a peacemaker in the South Caucasus.*
The Armenian leader thanked Russia and its president in particular for the invaluable contribution made to the Garabagh settlement.
Touching on Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev`s visit to Russia last week, Sarkisian said: "I have to say with a great deal of satisfaction that during the Azerbaijani president`s visit, your position remained unchanged and resolute when this problem came on the agenda. And, this position is that the conflict must be settled on the basis of all principles of international law. I am delighted that there is another country in the South Caucasus that deems Russia as its strategic partner, and this shows Russia`s increasing role and opportunities in the resolution of the Upper Garabagh conflict."
President Aliyev described Russia as "Azerbaijan`s neighbor, friend and strategic partner" and pledged to do his best to maintain this high level of partnership during talks with his Russian counterpart in Moscow on Friday.
The Russian and Armenian presidents also discussed bilateral relations, ways of countering the global financial crisis, the situation in the South Caucasus region and other key international issues. Political and military cooperation was mulled as well.
President Medvedev told the press following the talks that the current meeting as well as earlier negotiations with President Aliyev had demonstrated that the parties were trying hard to make a constructive effort toward a solution of this complicated conflict. "I think the steps being taken in this area are hope-inspiring."
The conflict between the two South Caucasus republics reared up in the late 1980s due to Armenia`s territorial claims. Armenia has been occupying over 20% of Azerbaijan`s internationally-recognized territory since the early 1990s in defiance of international law. The ceasefire accord was signed in May 1994, but over a decade of efforts by US, Russian and French mediators have been fruitless so far.
Moscow has lately considerably intensified its efforts toward settling the Garabagh conflict, Russian experts say. The Kremlin plans to arrange talks between the Azerbaijani and Armenian leaders in St. Petersburg this June in an effort to achieve certain agreement between the sides. The Russian president might attend the meeting as well. If Moscow manages to accomplish results during the trilateral talks, it will assert itself as the leading peace-making force in the turbulent region. Analysts believe that one of the main reasons for Russia`s recent activeness in the Garabagh peace process is that following its brief war with Georgia in August 2008, the superpower is trying to repair its image by acting as a peacemaker in the South Caucasus.*
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