Russia resolved to continue mediation for peace and stability in South Caucasus

August 20, 2010 - 15:33 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net - Russia is resolved to continue mediation for peace and stability in South Caucasus, Russian President stated.

“We spare no effort to prevent any possibility of a new war in the South Caucasus. Besides, the intermediary institutions dealing with the Nagorno Karabakh conflict should meet the requirements of the countries which are holding complicated talks,” Dmitry Medvedev said during a joint news conference with his Armenian counterpart Serzh Sargsyan.

“It’s impossible to impose mediators but is the conflicting sides voice wish to attract new intermediaries, Russia will accept the decision,” he said, adding that the OSCE Minsk Groups is still efficient.

For his part, President Sargsyan reiterated that the OSCE MG format is the most admissible for Armenia.

“True, the region is still in ‘no peace nor war’ condition. ‘No peace’ is not good but ‘no war’ is important, and this is the result of the Minsk Group Co-chairs’ endeavors,” he said.

The conflict between Nagorno Karabakh and Azerbaijan

The conflict between Nagorno Karabakh and Azerbaijan broke out as result of the ethnic cleansing launched by the Azeri authorities in the final years of the Soviet Union. The Karabakh War was fought from 1991 (when the Nagorno Karabakh Republic was proclaimed) to 1994 (when a ceasefire was sealed by Armenia, NKR and Azerbaijan). Most of Nagorno Karabakh and a security zone consisting of 7 regions are now under control of NKR defense army. Armenia and Azerbaijan are holding peace talks mediated by the OSCE Minsk Group up till now.

The OSCE Minsk Group

The OSCE Minsk Group was created in 1992 to encourage a peaceful, negotiated resolution to the Nagorno Karabakh conflict. The Minsk Group is headed by a Co-Chairmanship consisting of France, Russia and the United States. The main objectives of the Minsk Process are as follows: Providing an appropriate framework for conflict resolution in the way of assuring the negotiation process supported by the Minsk Group; Obtaining conclusion by the Parties of an agreement on the cessation of the armed conflict in order to permit the convening of the Minsk Conference; Promoting the peace process by deploying OSCE multinational peacekeeping forces.