RUSSIA PLAYS IMPORTANT ROLE IN KARABAKH CONFLICT SETTLEMENT-FM

ITAR-TASS News Agency, Russia
April 3, 2007 Tuesday

Russia plays a very important and constructive role in settlement of
the Karabakh conflict, Armenian Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian said
at a joint conference with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov
on Tuesday.

"We highly value the role and the stance of Russia that not only will
support accords of the sides, but is ready to act as a guarantor of
bilateral accords," he said.

Lavrov’s visit to Armenia coincided with the 15th anniversary of
diplomatic relations between the two countries, Oskanian said.

"His personal assessment of the road that we have gone is very high,"
he said.

"Over 15 years we have been cooperating very successfully in quite
new conditions – in a capacity of independent states. At present,
the agenda of the Russian-Armenian relations is very voluminous:
our countries cooperate in all spheres in a spirit of understanding
and partnership," Oskanian said.

He said that he had "discussed with the Russian colleague a wide
spectrum of the bilateral relations and a prospect for settlement of
the Karabakh conflict".

"Lavrov has informed about Russia’s stance on a number of international
problems, in particular in connection with Kosovo, Iran, reform of
the CIS and OSCE," Oskanian said.