Russia hopes that Nagorno-Karabakh conflict will be resolved, Maria Zakharova says
15.02.2018,
19:06
Russia hopes that the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict will be resolved, Maria Zakharova, a spokesperson for Russia’s Foreign Ministry, told a briefing on Thursday.
YEREVAN, February 15. /ARKA/. Russia hopes that the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict will be resolved, Maria Zakharova, a spokesperson for Russia’s Foreign Ministry, told a briefing on Thursday.
Zakharova’s remarks came in response to a question about Moscow’s future stance on the Karabakh conflict’s settlement after the presidential elections in Russia, Azerbaijan and a prime minister in Armenia this year. Azerbaijani presidential election is scheduled for April 11, 2018. The election of Armenia’s prime minister will be held on April 17.
“Russia continues to actively participate in the implementation of agreements between the parties to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. There is hope for the conflict resolution. We pay close attention to this issue, and most importantly we take an active part in the implementation of the actions planned by the parties,” she said.
The Nagorno-Karabakh conflict erupted into armed clashes after the collapse of the Soviet Union in the early 1990s as the predominantly Armenian-populated enclave of Azerbaijan sought to secede from Azerbaijan and declared its independence backed by a successful referendum.
On May 12, 1994, the Bishkek cease-fire agreement put an end to the military operations. A truce was brokered by Russia in 1994, although no permanent peace agreement has been signed. Since then, Nagorno-Karabakh and several adjacent regions have been under the control of Armenian forces of Karabakh.
Nagorno-Karabakh is the longest-running post-Soviet era conflict and has continued to simmer despite the relative peace of the past two decades, with snipers causing tens of deaths a year. On April 2, 2016, Azerbaijan launched military assaults along the entire perimeter of its contact line with Nagorno-Karabakh. Four days later a cease-fire was reached. -0-
Zakharova’s remarks came in response to a question about Moscow’s future stance on the Karabakh conflict’s settlement after the presidential elections in Russia, Azerbaijan and a prime minister in Armenia this year. Azerbaijani presidential election is scheduled for April 11, 2018. The election of Armenia’s prime minister will be held on April 17.
“Russia continues to actively participate in the implementation of agreements between the parties to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. There is hope for the conflict resolution. We pay close attention to this issue, and most importantly we take an active part in the implementation of the actions planned by the parties,” she said.
The Nagorno-Karabakh conflict erupted into armed clashes after the collapse of the Soviet Union in the early 1990s as the predominantly Armenian-populated enclave of Azerbaijan sought to secede from Azerbaijan and declared its independence backed by a successful referendum.
On May 12, 1994, the Bishkek cease-fire agreement put an end to the military operations. A truce was brokered by Russia in 1994, although no permanent peace agreement has been signed. Since then, Nagorno-Karabakh and several adjacent regions have been under the control of Armenian forces of Karabakh.
Nagorno-Karabakh is the longest-running post-Soviet era conflict and has continued to simmer despite the relative peace of the past two decades, with snipers causing tens of deaths a year. On April 2, 2016, Azerbaijan launched military assaults along the entire perimeter of its contact line with Nagorno-Karabakh. Four days later a cease-fire was reached. -0-
