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4 May 2016

Trend

A meeting on the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict is set to take place soon and will be attended by the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs, Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov told Sputnik International May 4.

Lavrov said he believes it would be possible, though difficult, to create documents on the Nagorno-Karabakh settlement based on ideas voiced by the conflicting sides.

"Tensions should probably cool down first, which is understandable. But there are no alternatives to the political process, political settlement," added Lavrov. "And there are certain ideas that have been discussed by the parties. And I remain convinced that while it would be difficult, it is possible to write them down in documents that would be acceptable to all parties."

Effective control mechanisms should be put in place in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict zone to prevent the flouting of the truce, added the minister.

He said the presidents of Azerbaijan and Armenia had agreed to devise a confidence-building mechanism years ago and entrusted the OSCE with drafting a set of proposals to this effect.

"Unfortunately, in 2012 this did not go as planned. But now we want the sides return to this [proposal], the German OSCE chairmanship wants to be an active contributor and we welcome its intent," added Lavrov.

The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, in 1992 Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts.

The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on withdrawal of its armed forces from the Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding districts.