EXISTENCE OF UNSETTLED ARMENIAN-AZERBAIJANI NAGORNO-KARABAKH CONFLICT IS A NEGATIVE CASE FOR RUSSIA: COMMITTEE CHAIRMAN OF RUSSIA’S STATE DUMA
TREND Information, Azerbaijan
Sept 27 2007
Russia, Moscow /corr. Trend R.Agayev / Existence of the unsettled
Armenian-Azerbaijani Nagorno-Karabakh conflict is a negative case
for Russia. "Today, the existence of the unsettled Nagorno-Karabakh
conflict which is capable to, at any moment, take fire from the
political to the military phase is very negative for Russia as well,"
said the Chairman of the Security Committee of Russia’s State Duma,
Gennady Gudkov, in his interview with Trend on 27 September.
" Azerbaijan and Armenia are Russia’s near neighbors and we want the
sustainable and stable peace to exist there," Gudkov said.
The conflict between the two countries of South Caucasus began in 1988
due to territorial claims by Armenia against Azerbaijan. Armenia has
occupied 20% of the Azerbaijani land including the Nagorno-Karabakh
region and its seven surrounding Districts. Since 1992, these
territories have been under the occupation of the Armenian Forces. In
1994, Azerbaijan and Armenia signed a ceasefire agreement at which time
the active hostilities ended. The Co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group
( Russia, France and USA) are currently holding peaceful negotiations.
The Russian parliamentarian considers that there are sound agreements
on Nagorno-Karabakh issue, which can be reached by Azerbaijan and
Armenia. "The only problem is that the conflicting sides should do
it themselves and demonstrate more real approach – less populism
and less rhetoric and to find some way out," Gudkov said adding that
Russia is absolutely prepared to act as a guarantee of the agreement
because it is absolutely acceptable for it.
High-tanking parliamentarian of State Duma expressed his regret
that it was failure to develop the idea of exchanging certain
territories between Azerbaijan and Armenia. "Currently Azerbaijan is
in a complicated situation with Nakchivan and of course, it needs to
think of possible corridor," Gudkov said.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
