TALKS ON NAGORNY KARABAKH SHOW PROGRESS – SENIOR RUSSIAN LAWMAKER

RIA Novosti
May 31, 2010
YEREVAN

Important decisions intended to resolve the conflict over Nagorny
Karabakh may be taken “in the near future”, the speaker of the Russian
parliament’s lower house said on Monday.

“The situation in Nagorny Karabakh is very sensitive,” said Boris
Gryzlov, who also heads the Parliamentary Assembly of the Organization
for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE).

He said talks under way between Azerbaijan and Armenia over the
disputed region have shown progress.

“I can say that quite distinct and clear steps have been noted. There
is the prospect that necessary decisions to settle the situation in
Nagorny Karabakh will be taken in the near future,” Gryzlov said.

The conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan over Nagorny Karabakh,
a predominantly ethnic Armenian region, 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.

On May, the region elected a 33-seat parliament with a voter turnout
of almost 68%. Azerbaijani officials called the elections “illegal,”
saying they could seriously harm peace efforts.

The conflict is mediated by the OSCE Minsk Group that comprises the
United States, Russia and France.

From: A. Papazian