Azernews.Az

Russia will continue fostering dialogue on the settlement of Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno Karabakh conflict, President Dmitry Medvedev said on Monday after meeting with his Armenian counterpart Serzh Sargsyan in Moscow, RIA Novosti reported.

Nagorno Karabakh, an occupied region of Azerbaijan with a predominantly ethnic Armenian population, has been at the center of a bitter conflict between the two South Caucasus republics.

"An important topic of our discussion is improving stability in South Caucasus," Medvedev said, adding that he and Sargsyan shared opinions on the situation surrounding Karabakh settlement. "I personally believe that a fair settlement of the conflict can only be achieved politically.

"Russia will continue facilitating Nagorno Karabakh negotiations as a co-chair of the OSCE Minsk Group and through direct contacts with the leadership of Armenia and Azerbaijan," Medvedev said.

In turn, Sargsyan praised Medvedev and Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov for their mediation efforts and confirmed readiness to stick to peaceful methods in resolving the conflict.

Sargsyan said ten meetings have been held between the Armenian and Azerbaijani leaders with the Russian president’s mediation and three joint statements signed so far.

"This has allowed to maintain precarious peace and foster signs of confidence between Armenia and Azerbaijan," Sargsyan added.

Under the updated Madrid principles, an outline on Karabakh settlement, Azerbaijan insists Armenia must withdraw in the near future its troops from the territories of Azerbaijan.

Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandyan has said an agreement on Nagorno Karabakh will only be possible if Azerbaijan gives up a number of amendments suggested during the Moscow-brokered meeting between the Azerbaijani and Armenian leaders held in Kazan in June.

Armenia and Azerbaijan were unable to come to an agreement on the path to peace in Nagorno Karabakh after the Kazan meeting, but said some progress had been made.

Nagorno Karabakh has been under Armenian occupation since the early 1990s, when the region claimed independence from Azerbaijan. The conflict is estimated to have left more than 30,000 people dead on both sides between 1988 and 1994.