Russia to continue efforts towards Karabakh settlement, says Lavrov

MOSCOW, April 8. /TASS/. Russia will continue efforts to see conditions created for the settlement in the mostly Armenian populated Azerbaijan’s breakaway enclave of Nagorno Karabakh on the basis acceptable both for Armenia and Azerbaijan, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said on Wednesday. "We exchanged assessments of the situation in Transcaucasia, including the Karabakh settlement," he said after talks with the Armenian counterpart, Edvard Nalbandyan. "As co-chairman of the OSCE Minsk Group, in its relations with Armenia and Azerbaijan Russia will continue to actively contribute to creation of conditions for the settlement of that problem on an acceptable for all sides basis," Lavrov added. "Russia and Armenia have confirmed an allied strategic nature of our relations," Lavrov said. "Apart from bilateral contacts, trust-based exchange of opinions and adjustment of opinions, we work together with other partners within the framework of the Commonwealth of Independent States and the Collective Security Treaty Organisation," he added. "We have agreed to strengthen our joint foreign policy activity in the United Nations, the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe, the Council of Europe, the Organisation of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation," he said. "We are actively cooperating on the implementation of practical projects in Armenia through the United Nations Industrial Development Organization," the top Russian diplomat said, noting also projects to develop textile industry and support rural areas of Armenia with Russia’s financial participation. Neighbouring Armenia and Azerbaijan fell out with each other in the late 1980s because of Nagorno-Karabakh, the disputed territory that had been part of Azerbaijan before the Soviet Union break-up but was mainly populated by Armenians. In 1991-1994, the confrontation spilled over into large-scale military action for control over the enclave and some adjacent territories. Thousands left their homes on both sides in a conflict that killed 30,000. A truce was called between Armenia and the Nagorno-Karabakh republic on one side and Azerbaijan on the other in May 1994. Read more