RUSSIA, ARMENIA DENY STALEMATE IN KARABAKH DISPUTE

RIA Novosti
14:2414/01/2010

YEREVAN, January 14 (RIA Novosti) – Armenia and Russia denied a
stalemate in talks on the Soviet-era Nagorny Karabakh dispute with
Azerbaijan on Thursday.

Tensions remain high between Armenia and Azerbaijan, with both Caucasus
states continuing the exchange of allegations of ceasefire violations
over the disputed region, and Azerbaijan threatening to use force if
talks yield no results.

Speaking after a meeting with his Armenian counterpart in Yerevan,
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said "the talks are not in
a stalemate."

Echoing him, Edvard Nalbandyan said: "I do not think there is a
stalemate."

Nalbandyan said the settlement is under way as Armenia and Azerbaijan
held nine high-level meetings on the problem last year alone.

Mediators in the conflict – the U.S., Russia and France that comprise
the OSCE Minsk Group – reported some important progress in talks
between the Azerbaijani and Armenian leaders in Munich late last year,
but said difficulties remain.

It was the first meeting of the two countries’ leaders after Armenia
and Turkey, Azerbaijan’s Muslim ally, signed historic accords in
October to restore diplomatic ties and reopen their borders.

Turkey closed its border with Armenia in a show of support for
Azerbaijan following a bloody conflict over Karabakh, in which some
35,000 died on both sides. The largely ethnic Armenian Nagorny Karabakh
in Azerbaijani territory has remained in Armenian control.

Nalbandyan pledged efforts on Thursday to have the diplomatic accords
with Turkey ratified by the Armenian parliament as soon as possible.

Some politicians in Turkey have linked improvement in ties with Armenia
to progress in the Karabakh negotiations. Ankara also insists Yerevan
drop its campaign to have the mass killings of Armenians by Ottoman
Turks in 1915 internationally recognized as genocide.

Lavrov reiterated Russia’s resolve to help Armenia and Turkey improve
relations. "Russia has reaffirmed its support for the process; we are
interested in the improvement of their relations which would benefit
the whole world."

The meeting took place after Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan
visited Moscow on Tuesday and Wednesday, when the sides reaffirmed
their backing for joint ambitious energy projects.