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Russia supports peaceful settlement of Nagorno-Karabakh conflict: PM

Xinhua, April 9, 2016 Adjust font size:

Russia supports the peaceful settlement of Nagorno-Karabakh conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan, visiting Russian Prime Minister Dmitriy Medvedev said in Baku on Friday.

The remarks came days after Armenia and Azerbaijan agreed to a cease-fire in the Nagorno-Karabakh region, which recently saw a flare-up in fighting between the two countries.

"There is no alternative to a peaceful settlement of the conflict through negotiations. The conflict must be resolved on the basis of compromise," he told reporters after a meeting in expanded format with the participation of Azerbaijani and Russian officials.

He added that as a member of the OSCE Minsk Group, Russia will continue to make efforts to push for the resolution of the conflict.

"We believe that these efforts will play an important role in the restoration of trust and conflict resolution. Russia as well as Azerbaijan and Armenia, is interested in resolving this conflict," Medvedev said.

Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev said that Nagorno- Karabakh region of Azerbaijan and seven regions outside Nagorno-Karabakh are under Armenia's occupation and one million Azerbaijanis have been displaced.

He added that Russia plays a significant role as a co-chair of a UN Security Council and a member of the OSCE Minsk Group in this conflict's resolution.

Aliyev said Azerbaijan is interested in the peaceful settlement of the conflict.

Earlier, during a meeting with the Azerbaijani President, Medvedev said that Russia is deeply concerned with Azerbaijan-Armenia conflict over Nagorno Karabakh. "Russia attaches great importance to relations with both Armenia and Azerbaijan."

"We hope that the ceasefire will be durable, and the parties will continue discussions on a peaceful settlement of this conflict," he added.

Medvedev's visit came three days after Azerbaijan and Armenia agreed to a cease-fire in the Nagorno-Karabakh region.

Nagorno-Karabakh lies within Azerbaijan but has governed its own affairs with military and financial support from Armenia since a separatist war sputtered to a stop in 1994.

The recent fighting was the worst outbreak since a full-scale war over the region ended in 1994. Since then, mountainous Nagorno-Karabakh -- officially part of Azerbaijan -- has been under the control of local ethnic Armenian forces and the Armenian military.

Armenian forces also occupy several areas outside Nagorno-Karabakh. The two sides are separated by a demilitarized buffer zone, but small clashes have broken out frequently. Enditem