SERGEY LAVROV: CHANGE OF THE MINSK GROUP FORMAT IS DESTRUCTIVE
By Hovik Afyan
AZG DAILY
08-07-2011
Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian at the invitation of his
Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov paid an official visit to Russia
on July 5-6.
After the Sargsian-Medvedev-Aliyev meeting on June 24, actually,
it was the first official meeting on Karabakh issue
According to Russian news services, Russia is ready to submit to
Yerevan and Baku a new package of proposals on the Nagorno-Karabakh
conflict resolution, Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said
after his talks with Edward Nalbandyan in Moscow on Wednesday.
Lavrov announced that Russian President Dmitry Medvedev will submit
the new Nagorno-Karabakh settlement proposals to Armenia and Azerbaijan
"in the immediate future."
"Moscow remains committed to an array of agreements that were earlier
endorsed by the Presidents of the United States, France, Armenia,
Azerbaijan and Russia," said Lavrov, referring to the Nagorno-Karabakh
conflict.
The topic was also discussed by the OSCE session in Vienna this week,
where participants specifically mentioned an improvement in the
current situation in Nagorno-Karabakh, a positive trend that Lavrov
said should further get a boost."
Separately, Lavrov warned against attempts to change the format of the
negotiations headed by the OSCE Minsk Group, which brings together
Russia, the US and France. "Change of the Minsk Group format is
destructive", he said.
"The change of the formant of settlement of the Karabakh conflict
would not be an effective choice at this moment and would divert the
attention from the core of the issue," said Lavrov at a joint press
conference with Nalbandian.
Lavrov underlined that the Minsk Group Co-Chairs, who have become a
real tool in the negotiation process, are working hard to search for
ways of settlement not only within the framework of the negotiation
process, but also in the direction of reinforcement of trust and
security along the line of contact. "We think it's time to make a
decision," Lavrov said.
It's very interesting that the Azerbaijani news agencies didn't speak
of Lavrov-Nalbandian meeting details. According to Trend news agency,
singer Polad Byulbyulogli, Azerbaijani Ambassador to Moscow, said,
"Foreign Minister of Azerbaijan Elmar Mammadyaorv will visit Moscow in
the nearest future. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov's official
visit to Baku is also scheduled."
By Hovik Afyan
AZG DAILY
08-07-2011
Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian at the invitation of his
Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov paid an official visit to Russia
on July 5-6.
After the Sargsian-Medvedev-Aliyev meeting on June 24, actually,
it was the first official meeting on Karabakh issue
According to Russian news services, Russia is ready to submit to
Yerevan and Baku a new package of proposals on the Nagorno-Karabakh
conflict resolution, Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said
after his talks with Edward Nalbandyan in Moscow on Wednesday.
Lavrov announced that Russian President Dmitry Medvedev will submit
the new Nagorno-Karabakh settlement proposals to Armenia and Azerbaijan
"in the immediate future."
"Moscow remains committed to an array of agreements that were earlier
endorsed by the Presidents of the United States, France, Armenia,
Azerbaijan and Russia," said Lavrov, referring to the Nagorno-Karabakh
conflict.
The topic was also discussed by the OSCE session in Vienna this week,
where participants specifically mentioned an improvement in the
current situation in Nagorno-Karabakh, a positive trend that Lavrov
said should further get a boost."
Separately, Lavrov warned against attempts to change the format of the
negotiations headed by the OSCE Minsk Group, which brings together
Russia, the US and France. "Change of the Minsk Group format is
destructive", he said.
"The change of the formant of settlement of the Karabakh conflict
would not be an effective choice at this moment and would divert the
attention from the core of the issue," said Lavrov at a joint press
conference with Nalbandian.
Lavrov underlined that the Minsk Group Co-Chairs, who have become a
real tool in the negotiation process, are working hard to search for
ways of settlement not only within the framework of the negotiation
process, but also in the direction of reinforcement of trust and
security along the line of contact. "We think it's time to make a
decision," Lavrov said.
It's very interesting that the Azerbaijani news agencies didn't speak
of Lavrov-Nalbandian meeting details. According to Trend news agency,
singer Polad Byulbyulogli, Azerbaijani Ambassador to Moscow, said,
"Foreign Minister of Azerbaijan Elmar Mammadyaorv will visit Moscow in
the nearest future. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov's official
visit to Baku is also scheduled."