Azerbaijan, Baku, Jan. 14 / Trend E. Tariverdiyeva /
The relations between Russia and Azerbaijan have bright prospects. Development of these ties will improve the situation in the region. It will eventually lead to an intensification of the settlement of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict, the State Duma Federal Assembly fifth convocation member, "United Russia" faction member Sergei Markov said.
"There are positive aspects in the process of the Nagorno-Karabakh settlement. They are the intensive negotiations of the parties and the activities of inter-mediaries. But the bad thing is that the negotiations are not intense enough," Markov told Trend over phone from Moscow.
During the talks with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin on Wednesday Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan expressed the desire for Russia to play a more active role in resolving the problem of Nagorno-Karabakh, TRT said.
Putin expressed readiness to provide full support in this issue.
The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. Armenian armed forces have occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan since 1992, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and 7 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 the peace negotiations.
Markov stressed the wisdom of the Azerbaijani leadership in resolving the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. It ultimately helped the unprecedented economic growth and development of the republic.
"It is really a wise policy, which will also give effect to the long-term resolving the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict," he said.
Frozen state of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict has helped Azerbaijan to achieve the unprecedented economic growth, as the country focused primarily on economic issues, Markov said.
"Improvement of relations between Turkey and Armenia will contribute to further resolving the Nagorno Karabakh conflict", he said.