Sputnik News Service, Russia
Friday 7:10 PM UTC
Russia Welcomes Baku-Yerevan Contacts on Nagorno-Karabakh Conflict – Ministry
BAKU, July 27 (Sputnik) – Russia, as a mediator to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, welcomes any meetings between Baku and Yerevan aimed at the resolution of the long-standing dispute, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said on Friday.
Earlier in the day, political consultations between spokespersons of the Russian and Azerbaijani Foreign Ministries were held in the Azerbaijani capital of Baku. The two parties have discussed a wide range of issues and determined the shape of international cooperation in international forums.
"Russia as a mediating country has established itself effectively and constructively in the issue of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict settlement. Russia is well aware of and fully understands the topic. The meetings to resolve the conflict are being held at various levels. We welcome any meetings between Baku and Yerevan which are organized by the two sides and are being held in a constructive manner," Zakharova said.
Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry spokesman Hikmet Hajiyev, in turn, said, following the consultations with Zakharova, that the two parties were satisfied with the development of bilateral relations.
"Within the framework of the consultations, issues such as work with mass media and social networks, as well as cooperation in the field of digital diplomacy were discussed, the sides exchanged their experiences in areas of mutual interest," Hajiyev was quoted as saying by the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry.
According to the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry, the two parties have stressed the need to continue consultations in this format.
Earlier in July, Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov and his Armenian counterpart Zohrab Mnatsakanyan held negotiations in Brussels and agreed to hold another meeting in the near future. According to the Armenian side, the Brussels meeting was of an introductory nature.
The conflict in Armenian-dominated Nagorno-Karabakh started in 1988 with the autonomous region announcing its secession from the Azerbaijan Soviet Socialist Republic. In 1991, the Armenia-backed region proclaimed independence from Azerbaijan and the creation of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic. This move triggered a military conflict, which led to Baku losing control over the region.
In 1994, the warring sides agreed to a cessation of hostilities. However, the violence escalated again in 2016, leading to multiple casualties on both sides despite the ceasefire.
