LAVROV: RUSSIA WILL CONTINUE EFFORTS TOWARDS KARABAKH SETTLEMENT
13:42, 08 Apr 2015
Siranush Ghazanchyan
Russia will continue efforts to see conditions created for the
settlement in the mostly Armenian populated Azerbaijan’s breakaway
enclave of Nagorno-Karabakh on the basis that would be acceptable
both for Armenia and Azerbaijan, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey
Lavrov said on Wednesday, TASS reports.
“We exchanged assessments of the situation in Transcaucasia, including
the Karabakh settlement,” he said after talks with the Armenian
counterpart, Edvard Nalbandyan.
“Russia will continue to contribute to creation of conditions for
the settlement of that problem on an acceptable for all sides basis,”
Lavrov added.
No one wants the conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh to enter the hot phase,
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said on Wednesday after talks
with his Armenian counterpart Edward Nalbandyan.
“We do not even allow ourselves to think that the conflict may
enter its hot phase,” Lavrov said. “I am convinced that, despite the
rhetoric, no one from the interested parties wants this,” he added.
“All actions are directed at finding a mutually acceptable solution
as soon as possible,” the foreign minister stressed.
Consultations on this issue are held regularly, Lavrov added.
“Representative of co-chairing countries [in the OSCE Minsk
Group] often visit the region, including the capitals of Armenia
and Azerbaijan, including the line of contact. The presidents of
co-chairing countries pay personal attention to searching for ways
of settlement [of the conflict],” he noted. “Our president took
special measures last year, after which consultations continued on
possible practical steps. They would allow the implementation of
process of ending the conflict that benefits no one, which would
make Transcaucasia the region of cooperation without any blockades,
sanctions, restrictions,” Lavrov said. “Everyone will benefit from
this, including our Armenian friends,” he noted.
There is no alternative to negotiations in settling the
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandyan
said on Wednesday. “Up to this day, Azerbaijan has been refusing the
proposals of co-chairs of the Minsk group both on settling the conflict
in Nagorno-Karabakh and on strengthening trust-building measures,”
Nalbandyan noted. “However, there is no alternative to talks,” the
foreign minister stressed.
From: A. Papazian