Russian MFA comments on possible impact of Armenian political turmoil on Karabakh conflict settlement

Russian MFA comments on possible impact of Armenian political turmoil on Karabakh conflict settlement
# 04 May 2018 13:39 (UTC +04:00)

Armenia is experiencing a period of political turmoil, and it is necessary to wait until the situation in the country is experiencing, said Maria Zakharova, spokesperson for Russia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Zakharova made the remarks at a press conference in Moscow on Friday, commenting on a possible intensification in the negotiation process between Azerbaijan and Armenia to settle the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict after the elections in both countries, an APA correspondent reported from Moscow.

"We are hopeful that the people, political forces will determine the composition of the governing bodies within the Constitution and legal framework. After that, it seems to me that there will be an opportunity to continue talks on the Nagorno-Karabakh problem. I can say that Russia has held a consistent position towards the solution of this problem. Therefore, we will continue to help the parties resolve the conflict. I want to reiterate that it is necessary to wait until the political situation in Armenia stabilizes,” the spokesperson added.

The Nagorno-Karabakh conflict entered its modern phase when the Armenian SRR made territorial claims against the Azerbaijani SSR in 1988.

A fierce war broke out between Azerbaijan and Armenia over the Nagorno-Karabakh region of Azerbaijan. As a result of the war, Armenian armed forces occupied some 20 percent of Azerbaijani territory which includes Nagorno-Karabakh and seven adjacent districts (Lachin, Kalbajar, Aghdam, Fuzuli, Jabrayil, Gubadli and Zangilan), and over a million Azerbaijanis became refugees and internally displaced people.

The military operations finally came to an end when Azerbaijan and Armenia signed a ceasefire agreement in Bishkek in 1994.

Dealing with the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict is the OSCE Minsk Group, which was created after the meeting of the CSCE (OSCE after the Budapest summit held in December 1994) Ministerial Council in Helsinki on 24 March 1992. The Group’s members include Azerbaijan, Armenia, Russia, the United States, France, Italy, Germany, Turkey, Belarus, Finland and Sweden.

Besides, the OSCE Minsk Group has a co-chairmanship institution, comprised of Russian, the US and French co-chairs, which began operating in 1996.

Resolutions 822, 853, 874 and 884 of the UN Security Council, which were passed in short intervals in 1993, and other resolutions adopted by the UN General Assembly, PACE, OSCE, OIC, and other organizations require Armenia to unconditionally withdraw its troops from Nagorno-Karabakh.

Nagorno Garabagh

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