NAGORNO-KARABAKH CONFLICT BETTER TO SETTLE WITHIN FRAMEWORK OF CIS -RUSSIAN MP

TREND Information, Azerbaijan
Nov 2 2007

Russia, Moscow / Trend corr. R.Agayev / The Armenian-Azerbaijani
conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh is better to solve within the framework
of the CIS, the Russian MP Oleg Kulikov said.

The conflict between the two countries of the South Caucasus began
in 1988 due to Armenian territorial claims against Azerbaijan. Since
1992, Armenian Armed Forces have occupied 20% of Azerbaijan including
the Nagorno-Karabakh region and its seven surrounding districts. In
1994, Azerbaijan and Armenia signed a ceasefire agreement at which
time the active hostilities ended. The Co-Chairs of the OSCE Minsk
Group ( Russia, France, and the US) are currently holding peaceful
negotiations.

"The only way out of the conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan is
to reinforce the inter- integration processes which is more close
ties in the post-Soviet area. The issue can be settled within the
framework of the restored post-Soviet area," Kulikov said.

According to Kulikov, as the issue is beneficial to foreign forces
the Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict cannot be settled in the near
future. Russia is interested in settlement of the issue. However,
there are more relevant problems for Russia, including its relation
with Ukraine, coolness of ties with Belarus, problems in Islamic world,
and many others," the MP said.

"Armenia faces economic difficulties. When the country faces
difficulties it attempts to find easier decision like appeal to foreign
forces. More close economic relations between Armenia and Azerbaijan
to make Russia the leader in settlement of the conflict," Kulikov said.

"It is difficult to me to describe ways in resolving the conflict,
as no international conflict has been finished positively. In the
many cases conflict ends in legitimization of separatist attitudes,"
the MP said.