MOSCOW (Itar-Tass)–Russian Foreign Minister Yevgeny Primakov has made a statement to respond to commen’s on a freshly-signed Treaty on Friendship–Cooperation and Mutual Assistance between Russia and Armenia.
The statement reads–"We believe that the treaty recently signed with Armenia is of great significance both for the development of relations between two countries and for the stabilization of the situation in the region.
"At the same time–it is alarming to hear voices–especially from the Nagorno-Karabakh region–calling for settlement of this nine year-old conflict by military means.
"I am authorized by Russian President Boris Yeltsin to state that the Treaty of the Russian Federation with Armenia is in no way targeted against Azerbaijan and will never be used in favor of those who are speaking against its territorial integrity.
"Which concerns Russian-Azerbaijani relations–we are ready to develop them and–moreover–are ready to sign accords similar to those between Russia and Armenia."