RUSSIA RESTATES POSITION ON KARABAKH

news.az
Sept 22 2011
Azerbaijan

Foreign Ministry spokesman Alexander Lukashevich has restated Russia’s
position that it does not recognize Nagorno-Karabakh as an independent
state.

Lukashevich’s remarks were published as a comment on the 18 September
local elections in Karabakh, published on 22 September on the Russian
Foreign Ministry website.

“Russia is making active mediation efforts to resolve the
Nagorno-Karabakh problem in close collaboration with its partners
co-chairing the OSCE Minsk Group – the United States and France. We
will continue to help the Azerbaijani and Armenian sides to reach
a compromise to untie the Karabakh knot as soon as possible,” the
comment said.

“I confirm support for the principles of territorial integrity and
the non-use of force alongside the other fundamental principles and
norms of international law.

“As is known, Russia does not recognize the ‘Nagorno-Karabakh republic’
as an independent state. We think that the holding of elections in
Nagorno-Karabakh cannot influence the process of peaceful settlement
of the conflict,” the comment concluded.

The conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh began in 1988 when Armenia made
claims on the Azerbaijani territory. Later, in a bitter war Armenian
armed forces occupied a swathe of Azerbaijani territory, including
the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts. Despite
a ceasefire in 1994, no long-term peace agreement has been reached.

The de facto authorities of Karabakh held elections to local government
bodies on 18 September.