Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on convened today of the online press conference stated that the question of the status of Nagorno-Karabakh should be decided between Armenia and Azerbaijan. According to him, Russia is ready to help in finding a solution that will contribute to the provision of peace and stability in the region.
"As for an exotic proposal to include Nagorno-Karabakh, the composition of the Russian Federation. You know, as I understand it, the independence of Nagorno-Karabakh is not recognized by anyone, including the Republic of Armenia. We still have no such thoughts. We proceed from the fact that all the issues of this region should be solved between the countries located here, primarily between Armenia and Azerbaijan. We will be ready to help finding and finding such a decision that will provide peace, stability, security in this region, "the words of the head of the Russian foreign policy leads TASS.
According to Lavrov, an agreement on Nagorno-Karabakh, recorded in a joint statement of leaders of Russia, Azerbaijan and Armenia on November 9 last year, are performed quite effectively.
The Russian minister added that the status of Nagorno-Karabakh was consciously not mentioned in a joint statement of three leaders. "The territory on which Russian peacekeepers deployed is the responsibility zone of the Russian peacekeeping contingent. It is from this that we proceed in our contacts with Yerevan and with Baku. Now such nuances are being worked out, I would say the details related to the organization of transport links, supplying the zones of the responsibility of peacekeepers, providing humanitarian assistance in it to people who have returned there. Already 50 thousand Armenians returned there from Armenia, "he explained.
The question of the status of the region, the minister stressed, "including the co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group." "They have now resumed their contacts with the parties, they are going to go to the region once again," he added.
"Exactly because the problem of the status of Nagorno-Karabakh is such a controversial, if you take the positions of Yerevan and Baku, and it was decided to go around this question three leaders and leave it for the future," the Lavrov said.
The minister also stated that there were no secret applications to the trilateral statement of the leaders of Russia, Azerbaijan and Armenia.
"Agreement of November 9, I believe is implemented quite effectively, this is an assessment and president of Aliyev, and Pashinian Prime Minister. With the exception of the reasons of prisoners of war, which, repeat the reasons mentioned above, emerged in its current edition at the beginning of December - a month after the signing of the agreements. Everything else there, in my opinion, is done quite effectively, the question of the mandate of peacekeepers is solved. He must, of course, be the subject of a trilateral agreement, this was stated in Moscow at a meeting on January 11th. There are no secret applications, and I do not see what topics can be the subject of some secrets, "said the Russian Foreign Ministry.
The diplomat added that the discussion of the status of Nagorno-Karabakh would be possible in the future, and this topic will still have to return, but at the moment it would be premature.
"I really hope that now emotions will be allocated to the background. By the way, evenly, therefore, now it is not the best time to put forward as a priority theme of the status of Nagorno-Karabakh, it remains for the future, "he said.
"And to the status to return. The main thing is that according to the status in the consequence there were specific, calm legal discussions between Armenia and Azerbaijan on the basis of the good neighborhood, which we all need to be restored in the region, "summarized Lavrov.
The Russian Foreign Minister stated that he would not see the reasons for preventing the contacts of the officials of Armenia with Nagorno-Karabakh.
The Minister noted that in addition to the agreement on the Lachin Corridor, which will have a new route, "a reliable, constant connection between the Western regions of the main territory of Azerbaijan and Nakhichevan, and this is the agreement enshrined by the heads of state."
"If we agree with that, and everyone agrees that there should be a connection between the Armenians of Karabakh and Armenians of Armenia, I do not see the reasons for which you need to prevent contacts implemented at this level," said the Russian Foreign Minister.
He recalled that "Armenian officials are involved in the provision of humanitarian assistance to Nagorno-Karabakh, which does not cause any negative emotions in Baku, and it would be strange if it would be different." At the same time, according to Lavrov, "the fact that these Armenian officials make enough politicized statements in Karabakh, probably it causes tension."
"I think it would be better to avoid it. We have already witnessed how emotional statements spoken from Karabakh or about Karabakh, as a word becomes material force, in this case, the words from different sides became a very negative material force, "the minister explained. He added that Moscow now pays special attention to "establishing contacts between the management of Azerbaijan and Armenia, creating an atmosphere of trust."
The head of the Russian Foreign Ministry stressed that the question of cutting off Nagorno-Karabakh from Armenia has never arisen. He recalled that in the agreements of Moscow, Baku and Yerevan recorded the consent of the parties to ensure the connection between Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh through the Lachinsky corridor, which will be under the control of Russian peacekeepers. "The connection of Armenia with Karabakh nobody has ever denied, throughout all decades of negotiations has never been the question of cutting off Armenia and Karabakh from each other. And that is why the Lachinsky corridor as a concept did not rejected by anyone, and he is still the subject of the consent of the parties, including the consent of our Azerbaijani neighbors, "said Lavrov.
Russian peacekeepers in Nagorno-Karabakh will provide interests and Azerbaijan, and Armenia, noted Lavrov.
"I guarantee you 100% that the area of responsibility of Russian peacekeepers is a form that will ensure the interests of both the Azerbaijani and Armenian side," Lavrov said.
The minister also added that Russia seeks the exchange of prisoners of war between Armenia and Azerbaijan on the principle of "all on all", the military of the Russian Federation together with colleagues from these countries are checked by lists of detainees in the Gadrurt region of Nagorno-Karabakh.
"As for prisoners of war. It was really discussed, this is part of those agreements that were signed on the night from 9 to 10 November. And also, when the President of Azerbaijan and Prime Minister of Armenia arrived in Moscow on January 11th. These people abandoned in this Gadrutsky district after declaring the cease-fire and all hostilities should be considered separate procedure, and not as falling under November 9. We, nevertheless, and President Putin, and I am in contact with my colleagues, after all, promote the need to consider the issue of sharing prisoners to close, guided by the principle of "all at all," he said. According to Lavrova, "Now our military are in contact with the military Armenia, with the military of Azerbaijan, these already named lists fail to understand where these people can be."