TEHRAN PREPARED TO MEDIATE BETWEEN YEREVAN AND BAKU TO SETTLE NAGORNO-KARABAKH CONFLICT: IRANIAN FOREIGN MINISTER

Trend News Agency
Sept 16 2008
Azerbaijan

"There are a lot of contacts in Caucasus, whilst the latest
developments gave rise to many regional problems," Manuchohr Mottaki,
the Iranian Foreign Minister stated at a joint news conference with
Edvard Nalbandyan, the Armenian Foreign Minister, in Tehran.

According to Mottaki, Iran is a neighbor of the Caucasus region
and offered to hold consultations amongst countries of the region
to establish cooperation. Nalbandyan’s Tehran visit is a perfect
opportunity to complete one of stages of negotiations on the Iranian
proposal, the Iranian Minister said.

"Armenia and Iran have common interests and hold similar positions on
regional problems, Mottaki said. Iran is prepared to mediate between
Yerevan and Baku to settle the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict."

The Armenian Minister, in his turn, said that Armenia and Iran held
the same position on the latest developments in Georgia. Iran has
interesting ideas and proposals, he stressed. Yerevan, in its turn,
will continue dialogues with Tehran to ensure security and stability
in the region, the Iranian PRESS TV agency reported.