Baku, Azerbaijan, April 14
Trend:
Russia's Foreign Ministry believes that parallels should not be drawn between the events in Crimea and situation in Transnistria and Nagorno-Karabakh.
"I would not draw parallels between the events in Crimea and situation in Transnistria and Nagorno-Karabakh," Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Vasily Nebenzia said in an interview with Interfax agency.
He made the remarks responding to a question whether any new developments should be expected with regards to the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh and Transnistria issues.
The deputy minister said that the OSCE Minsk Group is involved in the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict; there are co-chairs representing Russia, France and the U.S. and they seek to promote direct dialogue between Azerbaijanis and Armenians.
He stressed that a session of the CIS Council of Foreign Ministers was held recently, during which there was a meeting between Foreign Ministers of Azerbaijan and Armenia, and not so long ago there was a meeting between leaders of these countries.
"There is also the 'five plus two' format for Transnistrian settlement and the work is underway in these directions," Nebenzia added.
The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan.
As a result of the ensuing war, in 1992 Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts.
The two countries 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.
Translated by E.A.
Edited by C.N.