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Russia, Armenia for Peaceful Settlements Only – Lavrov

Friday, October 03, 2008 7:57 PM

(Source: Daily News Bulletin; Moscow – English)YEREVAN. Oct 3
(Interfax) – Georgia’s aggression against South Ossetia has proved
that any attempt to resolve conflict by force is doomed, Russian
Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said.
"Any attempt to resolve crisis situations by force are doomed," Lavrov
told a news conference in the wake of talks with Armenian Foreign
Minister Edward Nalbandian.

Russia and Armenia are certain that conflicts can be resolved at the
talks and by peaceful means only, the minister said.

Commenting on Turkey’s initiative to create the Caucasian Stability
and Cooperation Platform, Lavrov said that Russia welcomes any idea
that is aimed at making the situation in the region stable.

The minister also refuted allegations that Baku officially supported
Tbilisi on the first days of Georgia’s aggression against South
Ossetia. "I do not know that Azerbaijan made such statements. On the
contrary, the government adhered to balanced positions in all their
comments. Our relations with Azerbaijan are not dependent on the
situation," he said.

Commenting on Armenian-Georgian agreements to continue upholding
trade-economic relations, Lavrov said that he can only welcome this.

Armenia had problems with the delivery of goods from Georgia during
the war with South Ossetia. Lavrov expressed hope that these
agreements will allow to avoid this in the future.

(c) 2008 Daily News Bulletin; Moscow – English. Provided by ProQuest
LLC. All rights Reserved.