MOSCOW (Rio Novosti)–Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov will travel to Armenia on January 13 for official talks focused on the Nagorno Karabakh conflict, a Russian Foreign Ministry spokesman said on Monday.
Lavrov, whose country serves as a co-chair of the OSCE Minsk Group mediating the conflict, will meet with Armenian President Serzh Sarkisian and Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian on his trip.
“The focus will be the exchange of views on the continuation of negotiations on a settlement in Nagorno Karabakh in the context of mediation efforts undertaken by Russia to resolve the conflict,” said spokesman Andrei Nesterenko.
Bilateral cooperation and the general situation in the Caucasus are also on the agenda of talks, he said, noting that despite the recession, trade and economic, military and political, humanitarian and interregional cooperation between Russia and Armenia continue to develop.
The conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan over Nagorny Karabakh first erupted in 1988, when the region claimed independence from Azerbaijan to join Armenia.
Over 30,000 people are estimated to have died on both sides between 1988 and 1994, when a ceasefire was agreed. Nagorny Karabakh has remained in Armenian control and tensions between Azerbaijan and Armenia have persisted.
The OSCE Minsk Group, comprising the United States, Russia and France, is a mediator in the conflict.
Exchange of views? Yah right. It would be more like: “For some good Vodka and Russian prostitutes, you better take the deal…..or else Vladamir will be make it very unfortunate for you.”
More pressure on Armenia to fulfill the Turkish demands .