DEPUTY FOREIGN MINISTER OF RUSSIA: RUSSIA RECOGNIZES AZERBAIJAN’S TERRITORIAL INTEGRITY

APA
Aug 5 2009
Azerbaijan

Moscow. R. Metleboglu – APA. Russia takes an active part in the
process of settlement of Nagorno Karabakh conflict, Deputy Foreign
Minister of Russia Grigori Karason told APA’s Moscow correspondent.

The Russian diplomat underlined the Moscow meetings of Azerbaijani and
Armenian Presidents with participation of Russian President. He said
the documents adopted and agreements reached during these meetings
serve the improvement in the practical issues concerning the process
of settlement.

"I would like to note the initiatives of Azerbaijani and Armenian
ambassadors to Russia to pay joint visits to Yerevan, Baku and Nagorno
Karabakh to establish positive relations between the countries. They
are neighbors. Of course, there are problems, but it is important to
bring the relations to positive path," he said.

Karasin said Russia recognizes Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity. He
said the August happenings damaged Georgia’s territorial integrity
because official Tbilisi passed a decision to stop the negotiations
and attack South Ossetia, recognized as a conflicting party by the
international community.

"How can we talk about Georgia’s territorial integrity after that? The
present authorities of Tbilisi violated it," he said.

Karasin added that recognition of independence of Abkhazia and South
Ossetia by Russia is not connected with the principle of territorial
integrity.

"As regards Georgia, we are speaking of the aggression and violation
of the international settlement process. Russia has always recognized
and recognizes the principles of the international law," he said.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress