Azerbaijan, Baku, Feb.19 /Trend E.Tariverdiyeva /
The new concept of Russian foreign policy envisages mediation in the Nagorno-Karabakh issue, Russian Foreign Ministry's website reported on Tuesday.
The foreign policy concept of the Russian Federation has been approved by President Vladimir Putin on Feb.12, 2013, the report says.
The document offers a system of views on the basic principles, priorities, goals and tasks of the foreign policy of the Russian Federation.
In particular, the concept says that Russia will continue to play an active role in the political and diplomatic settlement of the conflicts in the CIS space, contribute to the resolution of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict in cooperation with other states - OSCE Minsk Group co-chair countries and based on the principles set out in the joint statements of presidents of Russia, the U.S. and France, made in 2009-2011.
The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. Armenian armed forces have occupied 20 per cent of Azerbaijan since 1992, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts.
Azerbaijan and Armenia signed a ceasefire agreement in 1994. The co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group - Russia, France and the U.S. - are currently holding peace negotiations.
Armenia has not yet implemented the U.N. Security Council's four resolutions on the liberation of the Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding regions.