RUSSIA PLAYS POSITIVE ROLE IN ARMENIAN-AZERBAIJANI NAGORNO-KARABAKH CONFLICT SETTLEMENT: FIRST DEPUTY FOREIGN MINISTER

Trend News Agency
Dec 29 2008
Azerbaijan

Russia, Moscow, Dec. 29 /corr. Trend News R.Agayev / The outgoing
year, especially its end, was marked with positive steps in the
Armenian-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict settlement, the First
Deputy Foreign Minister of Russia, Andrey Denisov, said on Dec. 29
in Moscow, answering the question of TrendNews correspondent.

He said that Russia is equally interested both in the friendly
relations with Azerbaijan and in the same friendly relations with
Armenia.

"Completely sincerely Russia attempts to do everything depending on
it so that these two countries would find a solution satisfying them,
overcoming difficult, heavy and unhealthy conflict, in particular
for Azerbaijan," said Denisov.

The conflict between the two countries of South Caucasus began in 1988
due to territorial claims by Armenia against Azerbaijan. Armenia has
occupied 20% of the Azerbaijani land including the Nagorno-Karabakh
region and its seven surrounding Districts. Since 1992, these
territories have been under the occupation of the Armenian Forces. 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 USA) are currently holding peaceful negotiations.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress