Trend, Azerbaijan
April 23 2010

Russian FM considers Azerbaijani proposal on including Turkey in OSCE
Minsk Group

Azerbaijan, Baku, April 23 / Trend E. Tariverdiyeva /

The Russian Foreign Ministry is considering Azerbaijan’s proposal to
include Turkey among OSCE Minsk Group co-chair countries mediating the
settlement of the Armenian-Azerbaijani Nagorno-Karabakh conflict,
Russian Foreign Ministry spokesman Andrei Nesterenko was quoted as
saying on the ministry’s website.

"A certain number of proposals have been made. We are studying them.
We need to get in contact with all those involved in the negotiation
process, and assess their attitude on these issues to make the
appropriate assessments," Nesterenko said.

He said Russia is actively involved in the Nagorno-Karabakh settlement.

"Later, after making contacts with our colleagues, we will be able to
give detailed explanations," Nesterenko said.

The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988
when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. Armenian
armed forces have occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan since 1992,
including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and 7 surrounding districts.
Azerbaijan and Armenia signed a ceasefire agreement in 1994.

The co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group – Russia, France, and the United
States – are currently holding the peace negotiations.

Armenia has not yet implemented the U.N. Security Council’s
resolutions on the liberation of the Nagorno-Karabakh region and the
occupied territories.