GENNADI GUDKOV: RUSSIA READY TO ACT AS GUARANTOR OF PEACE

ArmRadio – Public Radio, Armenia
Sept 28 2007

"The existence of the Karabakh conflict, which has not been solved
yet and can break out at any moment, passing from the political to
the military stage, is very negative for Russia, as well," Chairman
of the Security Committee of Russia’s State Duma Gennadi Gudkov said.

"Azerbaijan and Armenia are our closest neighbors, and we want lasting
peace to be established there," he noted. According to the Russian
parliamentarian, "there are reasonable agreements n the Karabakh issue,
which Armenia and Azerbaijan can reach." "The only problem is that the
parties themselves must do it and must demonstrate a more realistic
approach, display less populism and rhetoric and try to find some
solution," Gudkov said, underlining that "Russia is ready to act as
the guarantor of peace, since this role is quite acceptable for it."