Russian State Duma member: Russia wants peace in South Caucasus

The most important reason why Moscow is actively taking part in the negotiations on Nagorno Karabakh is that it is a close neighbor of Azerbaijan and Armenia, Russian State Duma member Sergey Markov said.

"This is stipulated not only by a geographical, but also a historical factor, as all three countries lived in a single state for many years," Markov said.

Moscow will host a meeting of the foreign ministers of Azerbaijan, Russia and Armenia today -- Elmar Mammadyarov, Sergei Lavrov and Edward Nalbandian.

It is planned to discuss the situation with Nagorno-Karabakh conflict at the meeting.

He said Moscow is interested in peace in the South Caucasus and in the fair settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict because Russia, as opposed to France and the U.S., has not only large Armenian, but also Azerbaijani diasporas.

The Russian authorities must express their interests and will, he said.

He said another reason is that after a series of crises, such as the protracted military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, the economic crisis, and the Arab revolts, the U.S. and the EU are gradually withdrawing from places that are not vital priorities for the West .

Russia is doing everything to achieve peace in its neighboring region, he said.

He said Azerbaijan and Armenia trust Russia as Russian diplomacy boasts consistency and experience.

The mediation efforts of Russian diplomacy have a long historical experience, which excludes tactical mistakes while holding negotiations, Markov said.

"Moreover, Russia is well aware of the Caucasian mentality thanks to the North Caucasus," he said.

Another reason for the conflicting parties' confidence in Moscow is that Russia's recent diplomacy has been focused on justice.

"Today, the major task of intermediaries is to prevent the escalation of the conflict," he said. "It is necessary to preserve the accumulated potential and to continue negotiations to reach a final settlement."


/Trend/