RUSSIAN FOREIGN MINISTRY: "RUSSIA ALONG WITH THE UNITED STATES AND FRANCE IS GOING TO CONTINUE ACTIVE MEDIATION IN THE FRAMEWORK OF OSCE MINSK GROUP"

Today
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March 17 2008
Azerbaijan

Official Moscow considers resolution on Nagorno Karabakh, adopted in
the UN General Assembly, to comply only with Baku interests, while
saying that Russia will continue efforts to resolve the situation in
the region.

"The countries co-chairing the OSCE Minsk Group on the settlement of
Nagorno Karabakh conflict (which includes the United States, France
and Russia) voted against the said document.

The joint announcement on the motives of voting explains their position
by the narrowness, irrelevance and ineffectiveness of the step of the
Azerbaijani side. This position has been presented to this country
for more than once", the statement of the Russian Foreign Ministry,
released on Saturday says, according to Interfax.

"In particular, the draft resolution includes only some of the basic
principles of settlement, meeting only Azerbaijan’s needs, without
referring to the definition of the final legal status of Nagorno
Karabakh by means of a plebiscite among its population for free and
real expression of its will", the Russian Foreign Ministry says.

"This approach made the draft unacceptable for Armenia and deteriorated
prospects of the soonest resumption of Armenian-Azerbaijani talks
on Nagorno Karabakh conflict following the inauguration of the new
President of Armenia", the statement reads.

"Russia along with the United States and France is ready to continue
active mediation in the framework of the OSCE Minsk Group for the
coordination of basic principles of settlement, which will allow
to bring back stability and peace to this South Caucasus region",
the statement says.

It should be reminded that the UN General Assembly held a voting
regarding the Baku-initiated resolution on Nagorno Karabakh. The
document was supported by 39 delegation, 7 voted against and 100
abstained from voting.