Russia has key to conflict settlement – First Deputy Prime Minister

Azer News, Azerbaijan
Sept 9 2004

Russia has key to settling Upper Garabagh conflict, First Deputy
Prime Minister Abbas Abbasov told journalists. “Russia is one of the
key countries that can contribute greatly to the peace resolution of
the Upper Garabagh problem.

The role of Russia in these processes is immense.” The attempts taken
by Russia and other co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group have yielded no
fruit thus far. Not a single step forward in resolving the problem
has been taken, Abbasov said. The First Deputy Prime Minister also
pointed out that 20% of Azerbaijan’s lands – Upper Garabagh and 7
regions of Azerbaijan – remain under Armenian occupation.

“Certainly, I would not suggest that Russia scream at the aggressor
to withdraw from the occupied territories. But this country has a
lot of leverage to positively affect the conflict settlement today.”
Abbasov also suggested that Russia needs to alter its approach to the
issue. “Russia has the key to settling the conflict peacefully. But
a different approach needs to be exercised, and only in this case we
can accomplish positive results”, he said.