Trend, Azerbaijan
March 10 2009

Russia to achieve better mutual understanding with Azerbaijan on
Caspian Sea’s legal status: FM
10.03.09 14:28

Russia plans to achieve better mutual understanding with Azerbaijan on
the legal status of the Caspian Sea, establishing a multilateral
security mechanism in the Caspian Sea and the Caspian Sea Economic
Cooperation, Russian Foreign Ministry official Andrei Nesterenko said
in an interview with RIA Novosti.

The negotiations to be held during Russian Foreign Minister Sergey
Lavrov’s visit to Baku on March 11-12 will pay particular attention to
the Caspian affairs as part of preparation for the Third Caspian
Summit, Nesterenko said.

Nesterenko emphasized that on the backdrop of the global financial
crisis Russia attaches great importance to maintaining a high level of
economic cooperation with Azerbaijan.

"In this regard, we are looking forward to the effective operation of
the intergovernmental commission on economic cooperation and to
implementation of major joint projects, including those in the energy
sphere," he said.

"The Nagorno-Karabakh conflict will be certainly also
discussed. Signing of a tripartite declaration by the Presidents of
Russia, Azerbaijan and Armenia in Moscow on Nov. 2, 2008, opened new
possibilities in this area," Nesterenko said.

Nesterenko said that Russia welcomes continuation of intensive
negotiations on the Karabakh settlement and will contribute to the
process as a co-chair of the OSCE Minsk Group.

"Our principled stand remains unchanged. We believe that the main
responsibility for the final selection of the settlement formula lies
on the Azerbaijanis and Armenians," he said.

Russia would be willing to support a solution which satisfies the
parties involved and is ready to act as a guarantor of the settlement
if the parties achieve a compromise agreement, he said.

The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988
when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. Armenian
armed forces have occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan since 1992,
including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and 7 surrounding
districts. Azerbaijan and Armenia signed a ceasefire agreement in
1994. The co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group – Russia, France, and the
U.S. – are currently holding the peace negotiations.