ARMENIAN, RUSSIAN PRESIDENTS DISCUSS KARABAKH PEACE PROCESS IN SOCHI

ARKA
Sep 3, 2008

YEREVAN, September 3. /ARKA/. Armenian and Russian presidents Serzh
Sargsyan and Dmitry Medvedev discussed the Karabakh peace process in
Sochi, the Press Service of Armenian President reported.

Russian President confirmed that the conflict should be solved through
peaceful negotiations and supported the peace process within the OSCE
Minsk Group format, the press service reported.

Nagorno-Karabakh conflict started in 1988 when Nagorno-Karabakh
with prevailingly Armenian population declared its withdrawal from
Azerbaijan.

On December 10 1991, a referendum was held in Nagorno-Karabakh in the
presence of international observers where 99.89% of the population
voted for full independence from Azerbaijan.

In response, Azerbaijan launched a large-scale war against
Nagorno-Karabakh.

Active operations were ceased on May 12 1994 by signing a cease-fire
agreement that has been maintained since then.

Since 1992 negotiations have been held on peaceful settlement of the
conflict under the auspices of the OSCE Minsk Group co-chaired by
the USA, Russia and France.