Azerbaijan, Baku, Aug.7 / Trend R.Hafizoglu /
Turkish expert Bulent Aras considers that high level of the Russia-Armenia relations enables Moscow to impact positively on the solution of the [Armenian-Azerbaijani] Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.
Russia's recent actions towards the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict give reason to say that Moscow could play a crucial role in this respect, Bülent Aras, Associate Professor of International Relations at the Isik University in Ankara told Trend on the telephone conversation.
During his visit to Turkey Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin stated the serious and active work for the resolution of the [Armenian-Azerbaijani] Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, Turkish news agency ANADOLU reported.
"Serious work is being done to settle the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and there is serious progress in this direction. Moscow is eager to see rapid resolution of the conflict," Putin added.
The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. Azerbaijan lost all of Nagorno-Karabakh except for Shusha and Khojali in December 1991. In 1992-93, Armenian armed forces occupied Shusha, Khojali and 7 districts surrounding Nagorno-Karabakh. Azerbaijan and Armenia signed a ceasefire in 1994. The co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group - Russia, France, and the U.S. - are currently holding the peace negotiations.
Aras believes that Russia, along with Turkey, is also interested in solution of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.
Turkey wants to stabilize the relations with countries of the region, including Armenia. It is impossible to achieve this stabilization without solving the Nagorno-Karabakh problem. The Nagorno-Karabakh conflict is the main object of Russia-Turkey discussion, Aras said
The solution of the Nagorno-Karabakh problem should not be considered as Russia's deviation from its interests.
Russia will never refuse from its interests in the Caucasus. However, unstable situation in the Caucasus is dangerous for Russia, too. Just for this reason Russia will make effort to achieve stabilization in the region, Aras added.
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