RUSSIAN FOREIGN MINISTER SAYS KARABAKH CONFLICT OF A UNIQUE NATURE
Trend News Agency, Azerbaijan
April 3 2007
During today’s joint conference being held in Yerevan with the
Armenian Acting Foreign Minister, Vardan Oskanian and Russia’s
Foreign Minister, Sergey Lavrov, Lavrov has stated that the Nagorno
Karabakh conflict is unique in its nature and it is the only conflict,
where the interests of Russia, the United States and the OSCE do not
contradict one another.
The Russian Foreign Minister said that the OSCE Mink Group worked out
a document for settling the conflict that a lot of other countries
in conflict would envy, Trend reports referring to ARKA
"The country mediators not only follow united principles in this
issue, but are also absolutely united in the most concrete details
of possibilities of the settlement. No other conflict has such a
united approach from by-standers. Therefore, we hope that both Baku
and Yerevan will reach a new level of settlement in the near future
on the basis, which could fully satisfy both those who lived and
currently live in Nagorno-Karabakh," he stressed.
Mr. Lavrov particularly marked that final decisions must be made
by both the authorities of Armenia and Azerbaijan. "We highly
appreciate the efforts taken both by Yerevan and Baku to further
peaceful negotiations, first of all, at a presidential level, as
well as at the level of Foreign Ministers of the two countries,"
said the Russian Foreign Minister.
The Head of the Russian Foreign Office also noted that the OSCE Minsk
Co-Chairs carefully treated their duties and responsibilities. "We
have an idea that we should not make decisions instead of the conflict
parties, we should just help them in this issue, and intend to render
our adequate aid and support in this conflict," said Mr. Lavrov.
For his part, Vardan Oskanian, Armenia’s Acting Foreign Minister,
expressed an opinion that each conflict has its own peculiarities.
"Today Karabakh is neatly moving to its independence through
self-determination depending on how other similar conflicts would be
resolved, particularly, the issue with Kosovo," said. Mr. Oskanian
Notably, the Head of the Russian Foreign Office arrived in Armenia
with a two-day official visit today. During the visit, Mr. Lavrov is
expected to meet Armenia’s President, Robert Kocharyan and Catholicos
of All Armenians, Garegin II.
Moreover, the delegation representing the Russian Foreign Ministry
laid a wreath at the Memorial of the Victims of the Armenian Genocide
of 1915 located on the Hill of Tsitsernakaberd.
On April 4, Mr. Lavrov will also visit Yerevan State University,
where he is expected to deliver a speech.