Lavrov: Russia to make all efforts for Karabakh conflict resolution

/By Azernews/

By Nazrin Gadimova

Russia, being a member of the OSCE Minsk Group, will provide all possible assistance to the parties of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

Sergey Lavrov, Russian Foreign Minister, made the remark following the meeting with his Armenian counterpart Edward Nalbandian in Yerevan on April 22.

The developments in the Nagorno-Karabakh region showed that it is necessary to resolve this conflict by diplomatic means, the foreign minister believes. “As for the political settlement, we are ready to do everything possible,” he stressed, adding that everything possible should be done to avoid violence and incidents.

To defuse tension it is necessary to finalize the agreements under the auspices of the OSCE concerning the confidence-building measures, the foreign minister added.

“Moscow stands for the strict observance of agreements on permanent ceasefire from 1994 and 1995 on the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict,” Lavrov said. "We, personally Russia’s President Vladimir Putin, have made efforts to stop the outbreak of violence."

Armenia did not reject the Kazan agreement, which were signed by the parties to the conflict and envisages return of the Azerbaijani territories around Nagorno-Karabakh captured by Armenians during the 1992-1994 war, Lavrov emphasized.

Lavrov further stressed the importance of the so-called roadmap on the long-lasting conflict prepared by the OSCE in 2011, as well as the role of Germany in the settlement process.

Lavrov’s visit to the Armenian capital city comes amid mass protests by the residents of the city. The protesters are marching in front of the country’s Foreign Ministry and the Russian embassy voicing their disrespect to Russia.

Armenia staged provocations on the contact line of troops on April 2, thus making the Azerbaijani side to retaliate the mass attacks targeting not only military positions, but also civilians. The large-scale hostilities have provoked an immediate response from the international community, which urged the parties to strictly observe ceasefire.

With the mediation of the Russian side, Azerbaijan and Armenia have agreed to cease operations on the line of contact starting from 12.00, April 5, however, Armenia continued to breach the fragile truce.

The recent visit of Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan to the occupied Nagorno-Karabakh region has engendered discontent of Baku, which accused Yerevan in another provocative step that exacerbates an already difficult situation.

At the same time, after this visit, the Armenian “Zhokhovurd” newspaper spread the information about Sargsyan’s plans regarding the future of the Azerbaijan’s occupied lands. Thus, some Armenian experts believe that the president will address the Armenian people on the return of the occupied territories, according to the newspaper.