“We cannot accept it as directed towards us, as we have proved ourselves as a longstanding and constructive participant in the process of negotiations and it seems to me that the genuineness of our aims has been proved,” the spokeswoman said of the Minsk group co-chaired by Russia, France and the United States.

She said that along with the Azerbaijani and Armenian parties, Russia was seeking “the settlement of this very difficult situation, which has for many years been the biggest problem in bilateral relations”.

“We want very much to see this problem finally removed from the agenda,” she said, adding that this should be done “on the basis of international law, equality and respect for the sides”.