Azernews.Az

The Russian government has responded to Armenia’s concerns over its recent statement about a link between the Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict and Turkey-Armenia reconciliation talks.
The Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement that Moscow has noted that some Armenian media outlets have raised uproar over a recent statement by its spokesman, Andrei Nesterenko, claiming that Russia had altered its position and now links the processes of settling the Upper (Nagorno) Garabagh conflict and Turkish-Armenian rapprochement.
"This is a misunderstanding. The Russian point of view has been repeatedly explained by Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. It remains unchanged. Two different processes are in question.
"We positively assess the bilateral documents signed by Armenia and Turkey, which define further actions of the sides toward advancement and comprehensive normalization of state relations. We are confident that establishing good neighborliness ties between Armenia and Turkey should objectively facilitate further steps strengthening peace and security in trans-Caucasia," said the statement, which was posted on the ministry’s website.
Following Nesterenko’s statement, Yerevan sought a retraction from Moscow, claiming it runs counter to the earlier statements made by the Russian foreign minister and the other co-chair countries of the mediating OSCE Minsk Group - the United States and France. Foreign Minister Eduard Nalbandian alleged that those statements have repeatedly ruled out a link between Garabagh settlement and Ankara-Yerevan normalization.
Regarding the Garabagh conflict, Moscow said that, despite lingering differences, the parties have managed to achieve certain progress in hammering out basic principles of its settlement.
"We see our role in assisting this process, the sides’ seeking mutually acceptable upshots on key issues, but [doing so] without imposing any external recipes on the parties to the conflict. In this respect, we are guided by the fact that the brunt of responsibility for making a final choice should rest with Azeris and Armenians proper. Russia is ready to back a solution of the problem that would suit all sides involved and act as a guarantor of a settlement if a compromise agreement is reached."
In a bid to end decades of hostility, Ankara and Yerevan signed protocols to establish diplomatic relations and reopen their borders in Zurich on October 10. However, Turkey, Azerbaijan’s ally, has made clear that it could normalize ties with Armenia only after the Garabagh conflict has been fairly settled.*