June 26, 2009 - 02:06 AMT
Russia warns G8 against meddling in Nagorno-Karabakh conflict
In a sign of intensifying geopolitical turf wars in the South Caucasus, Moscow warned the West on June 25 against foreign meddling in the dispute between Armenia and Azerbaijan.

The statement came on the eve of a G8 ministerial summit in Italy, where the world's largest industrial powers will discuss international issues, including the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict between the two South Caucasus states, eurasia.net reports.

"Russia is against foisting remedies upon the conflict sides from outside," the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs declared. "Russia is ready to support the option of conflict resolution that is satisfactory to all the sides involved and, in case a compromise agreement is reached, act as guarantor of the resolution."

The ministry said that the conflict talks' key mediators -- Russia, the US and France -- are in general agreement about the main approaches for a resolution to the 21-year conflict.