Russian, French, U.S. leaders to sign joint statement on Karabakh

YERERVAN, June 14. /ARKA/. The presidents of Russia and the United States Vladimir Putin and Barack Obama are planning to sign three documents after negotiations in the framework of the G8 summit, including a joint statement of the presidents of Russia, the U.S. and France on the Nagorno-Karabakh problem, Yuri Ushakov, the Russian president's assistant told journalists, as Novosti-Armenia reported referring to RIA Novosti. 

“With 100 percent certainty I can say that Obama, Putin and Hollande (French President Francois Hollande) will adopt a statement on the Nagorno-Karabakh problem,” Ushakov was quoted by RIA Novosti.

In his words, three bilateral Russian-American documents are being worked out now. But Ushakov refrained from pointing out what particular documents he meant. 

Karabakh conflict broke out in 1988 when Karabakh, mainly populated by Armenians, declared its independence from Azerbaijan.

On December 10, 1991, a few days after the collapse of the Soviet Union, a referendum took place in Nagorno-Karabakh, and the majority of the population (99.89%) voted for secession from Azerbaijan. 

Afterwards, large-scale military operations began. As a result, Azerbaijan lost control over Nagorno-Karabakh and the seven regions adjacent to it.

Some 30,000 people were killed in this war and about one million people fled their homes.  

On May 12, 1994, the Bishkek cease-fire agreement put an end to the military operations.

Since 1992, talks brokered by OSCE Minsk Group are being held over peaceful settlement of the conflict. The group is co-chaired by USA, Russia and France. -0-