Work to resolve Karabakh conflict underway: Russian Foreign Ministry
By Nazrin Gadimova
Russia, being one of the negotiators in the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, has to help the parties to find solution and to bring closer the positions of both sides.
Maria Zakharova, the Spokesperson for the Russian Foreign Ministry made the remark at a press center in Moscow on April 19.
"Our task is to create an appropriate atmosphere for the continuation of this work," she said.
Such an aggravation as the recent events undermines the atmosphere that helps resolve the conflict, the spokesperson stressed.
Zakharova believes that Russia’s goal is to bring the situation, which was thrown back, to its previous positions. The work to resolve the conflict and to find compromises is underway, she said, adding that the Azerbaijani and Armenian foreign ministers are expected to meet soon.
The long lasting conflict was also high on the agenda of the meeting between Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Grigory Karasin and the U.S. Ambassador to Russia, John Tefft.
Russia, which enjoys much influence on Armenia, has always been considered a key party in brokering a lasting solution to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.
Earlier, as part of annual direct line, President Putin said Russia will do everything to find a solution to the crisis in Nagorno-Karabakh.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, in turn, believes that the release of the regions around Karabakh and simultaneous addressing of the issue of its status will allow unlocking the situation in the conflict zone.
The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan.
As a result of the ensuing war, in 1992 Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts.
The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on withdrawal of its armed forces from the Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding districts.
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Nazrin Gadimova is AzerNews’ staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @NazrinGadimova
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