LAVROV TO TALK KARABAKH CONFLICT SETTLEMENT DURING VISIT TO ARMENIA

RIA Novosti
January 13, 2010 Wednesday 2:37 AM GMT+3
Moscow

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov will discuss the problem of
the Nagorny Karabakh settlement during his two-day visit to Armenia
that kicks off Wednesday.

Lavrov will meet with President Serzh Sargsyan and with Foreign
Minister Edward Nalbandian, Russian Foreign Ministry spokesman Andrei
Nesterenko said.

The conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan over Nagorny Karabakh
first erupted in 1988, when the region claimed independence from
Azerbaijan to join Armenia.

Over 30,000 people are estimated to have died on both sides between
1988 and 1994, when a ceasefire was agreed. Nagorny Karabakh has
remained in Armenian control and tensions between Azerbaijan and
Armenia have persisted.

The OSCE Minsk Group, comprising the United States, Russia and France,
is a mediator in the conflict.

The officials will also discuss bilateral cooperation.

Nesterenko said that despite the global crisis, Russian-Armenian
trade, economic, military, political, humanitarian and interregional
cooperation "showed positive development tendencies."