ANDREI NESTERENKO: MERZLYAKOV’S REPLACEMENT WILL NOT CHANGE MOSCOW’S POSITION

armradio.am
16.03.2010 18:53

"The replacement of the Russian co-chair Yuri Merzlyakov will not
change Moscow’s position in this format," official of the Russian
Foreign Ministry Andrei Nesterenko said, APA reports quoting RIA
Novosti.

According to him, Yuri Merzlyakov has got new appointment, this is
natural for the officer of the Foreign Ministry. Nesterenko expressed
his hope that the new co-chair will work as vigorously as the previous
co-chair.

"I would like to add that Russia’s position in the OSCE Minsk Group
is not determined by its representative. This position is determined
by President of Russia and realized by the foreign ministry," he said.

The diplomat added that Russia does its best to protect active
participation in the Minsk Group.

The diplomat noted that there is no direct contact between Nagorno
Karabakh conflict and normalization of Turkey-Armenia relations,
but said the two processes can influence each other to some extent.

"Our principled position is that these processes must not depend on
each other. Otherwise, both processes may stop," he said.
From: Baghdasarian