Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has urged Armenia and Azerbaijan to sit down for talks and de-escalate tensions over the blockade in the Lachin corridor, which connects Armenia with the self-proclaimed Nagorno-Karabakh republic.
In this regard, he noted, after a meeting with Afghan Foreign Minister Ceyhun Bayramov, that the incidents will continue «if every time tensions arise «one of the parties refuses to agree with the other».
Lavrov stressed that Moscow’s opinion «is important», since «various sources», although he did not specify which ones, are «constantly» pouring reproaches against Russia despite the recognition that both sides have of the country in the negotiation process.
«There are constantly reproaches, mostly unfounded, against the Russian peacekeepers who work in very difficult conditions, given that claims are made by both sides and third parties,» he explained, TASS news agency reported.
Lavrov has indicated that Russian forces are working «every hour» to try to pacify the situation, as well as «being in contact with the parties.» «We believe that everything possible should be done to bring positions closer,» he said, favoring the «restoration» of full transportation in the Lachin corridor.
The Russian foreign minister also regretted the absence of Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan from the meeting in Moscow, who, according to him, did not use «diplomatic channels» to communicate his decision not to attend.
In spite of this, Lavrov insisted that the situation is «multilateral», and therefore «the opinion of all parties involved» must be taken into account, according to the agency.
«Russia, probably more than anyone else, is interested in the establishment of a just and lasting peace in this region between the two friendly states and any recurrence of past (violent) manifestations will be excluded,» he has concluded.
The Azeri authorities decided to blockade the area and suspend gas supplies, according to Armenia, so the local authorities – who began to stockpile fuel to avoid a major crisis in the face of the blockade – asked the population to use cars only when necessary, giving priority to ambulances and minimum services.
Armenia and Azerbaijan have had several clashes in recent years over the control of Nagorno Karabakh, a territory with a majority Armenian population which has been the focus of conflict since it decided to separate in 1988 from the region of Azerbaijan integrated into the Soviet Union.
Source: (EUROPA PRESS)
