RUSSIA TO HOST NAGORNO-KARABAKH PEACE TALKS
By Avet Demourian
Associated Press Worldstream
October 21, 2008 Tuesday 1:29 PM GMT
Russian President Dmitry Medvedev said Tuesday he will host peace talks
between Azerbaijan and Armenia, which appear willing to negotiate
a settlement of their 20-year conflict over the disputed territory
of Nagorno-Karabakh.
Medvedev’s announcement follows a statement by a U.S. diplomat who
said the United States also would step up efforts to help settle the
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.
On a visit to Armenia, Medvedev said talks between Azerbaijan
and Armenia about the complex territorial issue have reached an
"advanced" stage. He added the two neighbors appear ready to "search
for a solution."
Medvedev would not provide details about the negotiations or say when
the Russian-hosted talks could take place.
But his statement appeared to reflect a renewed Kremlin push to win
a stronger influence in the energy-rich Caspian region.
Nagorno-Karabakh has been under control of ethnic Armenian forces since
a six-year conflict during the waning years of the Soviet Union. Some
30,000 people were killed and about 1 million were driven from their
homes before a cease-fire was reached in 1994. Sporadic clashes
have continued, and international efforts to settle the conflict
have failed.
Medvedev referred to Russia’s war with Georgia in August, saying it
underlined the need to settle regional conflicts through international
talks.
Along with the United States and France, Russia has been part of the
so-called Minsk Group of the Organization for Security and Cooperation
in Europe which has tried unsuccessfully to negotiate a diplomatic
solution with Azerbaijan and Armenia.
Last month, U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Matthew Bryza
said during a visit to Azerbaijan that it was more important than
ever now to resolve the dispute, pointing to the war in Georgia. Bryza
promised that the United States would intensify efforts to help settle
the conflict.
Russia has maintained close ties with Armenia and has a military
base there, but it also recently stepped up its efforts to improve
relations with energy-rich Azerbaijan.
Russia has been courting Azerbaijan by offering to buy its natural
gas for shipments to Europe. If Moscow succeeds, that would strengthen
its monopoly on gas shipments from the former Soviet region to Europe.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
