Russian, Azerbaijani foreign ministers to discuss bilateral relations, Nagorny Karabakh

MOSCOW, May 23. /TASS/. Azerbaijan’s Foreign Minister Elmar Mamedyarov will visit Russia on May 24-26 on an official visit, the Russian Foreign Ministry said on Saturday. Foreign ministers will have negotiations on May 25 in Moscow. "We consider the upcoming visit in the context of Russia’s suggestion on development of the Russia-Azerbaijan political dialogue," the Russian Foreign Ministry said. Besides the talks with Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, the Azerbaijani foreign minister will meet with speaker of the State Duma Sergei Naryshkin and with Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin. During the talks the foreign ministers will discuss the bilateral cooperation, key aspects of the regional and international agenda, including settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. The Russian Foreign Ministry highlighted development of economic, humanitarian and cultural relations between the countries. The trade turnover grew by 12%, and supplies of Azerbaijani agricultural products have grown lately. Regarding the problem of Nagorno-Karabakh, the Russian ministry said due to the geographically short distance and common history of the two nations, settlement of that conflict is a priority for Moscow. "At the same time, it is important that the OSCE Minsk Group may assist here, may suggest variants of solutions; though the settlement itself depends not on mediators, but on the parties to the conflict," the diplomatic authority said. "We appreciate the consistent line of the Azerbaijan’s leaders for development of mutually advantageous cooperation with Russia," the Foreign Ministry said. Read more