Russia willing to help Armenia-Turkey rapprochement with infrastructure projects

PanARMENIAN.Net - Russia is interested in Armenian-Turkish reconciliation, with Moscow's position on the issue remaining unchanged, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said during a joint news conference with his Armenian counterpart Edward Nalbandian.



"The earlier Armenian-Turkish relations are normalized, the more benefits the entire region will reap," he noted. "We're willing to contribute to the process with infrastructure projects both Armenia and Turkey are interested in. The projects may cover energy supply or railway communication sectors."



Besides, Russian Foreign Minister stated that Moscow sees no link between RA-Turkey rapprochement and Karabakh conflict settlement. "Trying to artificially link the two issues is incorrect," Mr. Lavrov stressed.



The Protocols aimed at normalization of bilateral ties and opening of the common border between Armenia and Turkey were signed in Zurich by Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian and his Turkish counterpart Ahmet Davutoglu on October 10, 2009, after a series of diplomatic talks held through Swiss mediation.



The Nagorno Karabakh Republic (NKR) is a de facto independent republic located in the South Caucasus, bordering by Azerbaijan to the north and east, Iran to the south, and Armenia to the west.



After the Soviet Union established control over the area, in 1923 it formed the Nagorno Karabakh Autonomous Oblast (NKAO) within the Azerbaijan SSR. In the final years of the Soviet Union, Azerbaijan launched an ethnic cleansing which resulted in the Karabakh War that was fought from 1991 to 1994.



Since the ceasefire in 1994, most of Nagorno Karabakh and several regions of Azerbaijan around it (the security zone) remain under the control of Nagorno Karabakh defense army.



Armenia and Azerbaijan have since been holding peace talks mediated by the OSCE Minsk Group.