Interfax, Russia
April 17 2009
Nagorno-Karabakh issue can be resolved based on mutual interests –
Medvedev
BARVIKHA April 17
Azerbaijan and Armenia can work out a consolidated stance on the
Nagorno-Karabakh settlement, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev said.
"There are prospects [for a conflict settlement] and we should follow
the norms of international law and resolutions adopted by the UN and
the OSCE. For this reason, I believe that there is progress and the
main thing is that all these processes should not be affected by some
insignificant, but very complex factors, and it is important that the
parties remain reserved and see the broader picture," Medvedev told a
press conference following a meeting with his Azeri counterpart Ilham
Aliyev on Friday.
"In my view, it is very important that the presidents of Azerbaijan
and Armenia should meet regularly. Russia is ready to fulfill its own
mandate. We have always tried encouraging this process, and if such
contacts continue – and there is no alternative to that – I am
convinced that this issue can be settled taking into account the
interests of the two peoples and prepared proposals," said Medvedev.
"Maybe some new ideas will arise. Of course, we have to abide the law,
but we should not close the doors to any new approaches, which in some
situations could promote the consolidation of positions. It seems to
me that it is possible," he said.
Medvedev said Russia "could achieve the most progress in the
negotiations on the Nagorno-Karabakh settlement."
"In any case, Russia will do its best to achieve this difficult, but
at the same time solvable problem," he said.
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