Moscow hosted a meeting of Azerbaijani, Russian and Armenian FM
Azerbaijan, Baku, Jan. 25 /Trend/
Moscow hosted a meeting of Azerbaijani, Russian and Armenian Foreign Ministers, Armenian media citing the press service of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Armenia reported.
The details of the meeting are not reported.
Azerbaijani, Russian and Armenian Foreign Ministers Elmar Mammadyarov, Sergey Lavrov, and Eduard Nalbandyan discussed the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict on Russia's initiative in the Reception House of Foreign Ministry on Monday.
There is no yet an official comment about the meeting from Azerbaijani or Russian MFA.
The Co-Chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group, Ambassador Robert Bradtke of the United States, Bernard Fassier of France, and Igor Popov of Russia and Personal Representative of the OSCE Chairman-in-Office (CiO) on the Nagorno-Karabakh Conflict Andrzej Kasprzyk are expected to visit the region after the meeting of Foreign Ministers.
The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. Armenian armed forces have occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan since 1992, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and 7 surrounding districts.
Azerbaijan and Armenia signed a ceasefire agreement in 1994. The co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group - Russia, France, and the U.S. - are currently holding the peace negotiations.
Armenia has not yet implemented the U.N. Security Council's four resolutions on the liberation of the Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding regions.
Moscow hosted a meeting of Azerbaijani, Russian and Armenian FM | Nagorno-karabakh conflict | Trend
Russia extends lease on military base in Armenia through 2044
20/08/2010
Russia and Armenia on Friday signed amendments to a 1995 bilateral treaty extending Russia's use of a military base near Armenia's border with Turkey through 2044.
The document was signed by the countries' defense ministers as a result of negotiations between Russian President Dmitry Medvedev and Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan. Medvedev is currently on a state visit to Armenia.
Russian Defense Minister Anatoly Serdyukov said the term of the 1995 deal on the base in Gyumri, Armenia's second largest city, had been extended from 25 to 49 years.
Asked by reporters about the cost of the lease on the base, he said "there is no question of money."
Some reports have said that the mission of the Russian troops was being expanded, but Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said the deployment locations for Russian troops had been agreed for a long time and were not affected by the new document.
Lavrov and Serdyukov both said the only thing that had changed was the length of the lease.
"One thing has changed - the extension to 49 years," the defense minister told RIA Novosti.
Armenian Foreign Minister Eduard Nalbandyan said earlier in the week that Russia would also provide Armenia with arms and modern military equipment.
Russia's 102nd Military Base has been deployed in Gyumri since 1995 and is part of a CIS integrated air defense system. It is under the command of Russia's North Caucasus Military District.
There are around 5,000 personnel at the base, as well as S-300 surface-to-air missile systems and MiG-29 fighters.
Russia extends lease on military base in Armenia through 2044 | Defense | RIA Novosti
Medvedev visits Azerbaijan for cooperation, Karabakh talks
02/09/2010
Russian President Dmitry Medvedev arrived in Azerbaijan on Thursday for a two-day visit to focus on economic ties, cooperation in the Caspian Region, and the Nagorny Karabakh settlement.
During the visit, Russian energy giant Gazprom and Azerbaijan's state oil and gas company are expected to sign a deal to increase supplies of Azerbaijani gas to Russia in 2011-2012.
Medvedev and his Azerbaijani counterpart, Ilkham Aliyev, will also sign a border agreement that will delimitate part of the land border that begins where Russia, Azerbaijan and Georgia meet and runs eastward to the Caspian Sea.
It is unclear whether the two presidents will discuss the status of the oil- and gas-rich inland Caspian Sea, which has been a source of long-running disagreements between the five littoral states - Azerbaijan, Iran, Kazakhstan, Russia, and Turkmenistan - since the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991.
A Kremlin source told RIA Novosti that the heads of the two states would also discuss military cooperation but did not elaborate on the issue. However, it was recently announced that Azerbaijan would buy four Russian Ka-32 helicopters, used in utility cargo work and fire-fighting.
The long-running conflict between Azerbaijan and Armenia over Nagorny Karabakh will also be on the agenda. As a co-chair of the Minsk Group with France and the United States, Russia is at the center of international efforts to mediate a settlement.
Earlier this month Aliyev said the conflict can be easily settled if Armenia withdraws its "occupation forces" from the disputed area.
The conflict over Nagorny Karabakh first erupted in 1988, when the ethnic-Armenian region claimed independence from Azerbaijan and sought support from Armenia. Karabakh has been de facto independent since a 1991-94 war that claimed more than 30,000 lives on both sides.
Medvedev visits Azerbaijan for cooperation, Karabakh talks | Ex-Soviet States | RIA Novosti
Russia seeks to maintain balanced relations with Armenia, Azerbaijan
08/09/2010
In less than a fortnight after Russia signed a deal with Armenia Russian president Dmitry Medvedev heads to Baku to discuss the urgent issues with the Azerbaijani government. Some experts believe that this highest level visit is aimed at soothing the effect of Russian-Armenian military agreement. Political analyst Viktor Nadein-Rayevsky, a senior fellow of the Russian Academy of Sciences’ Institute of World Economy and International Relations, shared his views on the situation in the South Caucasus.
Samir Shahbaz: Mr. Nadein-Raevsky, good afternoon. Russia extended the lease on its base in Armenia from 2020 to 2044. It has already aroused some indignation in Azerbaijan. Though this action, taken by Russia was not so unexpected. Right now Dmitry Medvedev is heading to Baku where he will face the burning questions. What will be these questions and how would you describe Russian policy in the South Caucasus region?
Viktor Nadein-Rayevsky: There is no doubt, that the main issue that concerns Azerbaijan is the ongoing conflict in Nagorny Karabakh. We know perfectly well, that both parties hold different views on settlement of this conflict and demand too much of each other. But no significant mutual concessions have yet come to pass. Azerbaijan seeks to liberate what they call the occupied territories. Moreover, Baku often adheres to the uncompromising position according to which Karabakh must be annexed to Azerbaijan. There are definitely other claims. A wide response came after Russia delivered its air defense units to Armenia. Many questions were raised about the renewal of the lease of the “Gabalinskaya” radar center and its international use. Another important issue is the economic cooperation. Russia has good prospects of effective cooperation in this sphere – we show interest in Azerbaijani oil. In addition we have already signed gas contracts.
Security system in the Caucasus remains a very important problem. Kremlin implements restrained policy in Nagorny Karabakh. It tends to leave the right to settle this conflict to parties involved without interfering. Russia wants international participation to be equal and balanced, at least external players must not upset existing balance. Destabilization can lead to unpredictable consequences. Nobody wants a new war in this region, especially Russia.
S.S. : Can we consider Armenia our main ally in the region? How has Russia shifted its policy towards former republics of the Soviet Union, which are independent states today?
V.N.R.: In my opinion Kremlin today shows respect for their independence. That attitude appeared long ago. Anyhow, under the Putin administration that position has already been visible. Russia didn’t try to impose policy of diktat. Moscow respects the rights of independent states. Looking back at modern history we can see that every breach of these rights was perceived very painfully by former Soviet republics. That is why Russia seeks to maintain current system of relations with these states. For example, Russian leadership didn’t oppose the West strengthening its positions in Azerbaijan because it is strictly right of an independent state.
In relations with Armenia Russia has kept its position. For Kremlin Erevan is the most reliable ally in the South Caucasus, and this fact influences significantly on shaping of Russian policy in this region. But this fact doesn’t mean that Russia acts only in the interests of Armenia. Moscow has considerably improved relationship with Baku lately. The top level visit will play an important role in strengthening relations with Azerbaijan, although they need additional nourishment. First of all Russia should show that it is not going to back up either country. Moscow continues to remain a mediator in this conflict and therefore must carry out cautious policy.
S.S. : How do you evaluate Azerbaijan as the leading economic power of the region? Baku shows perhaps the most active economic growth and not only among former republics of the U.S.S.R.
V.N.R. : Azerbaijan has indeed significantly grown economically. The main source of incomes is of course oil export. Baku profits from gas export to a lesser extent, since the bigger part of it is spent for domestic consumption. “Oil” money flowed directly to Azerbaijan economy and that became a reason for success.
Another important factor is the acquisition of modern technologies that was brought by new shelf development companies. In addition much will depend on Azerbaijan’s ability to restart developing its industry. It’s not a secret that deindustrialization became a real disaster for almost all of the former Soviet republics, including Russia. At present Azerbaijan has a potential to develop progressive technologies due to income from oil. A big advantage for Azerbaijan is that this money is sent to develop oil refining because final product is always much more profitable. In general, quality of life in Azerbaijan has improved significantly in recent years.
S.S. : Let’s digress from the relationship between Russia and Azerbaijan on a state level and switch to relations between people.
V.N.R.: Azerbaijanis are not considered aliens; the same could also be said about people from other Caucasian republics. They are not treated as foreigners here. Azerbaijanis speak very good Russian. Azerbaijani business is widely represented in Russia; in addition they are the main resellers of Iranian goods. Russia is a large labour-market for them. Azerbaijanis can often be met among intellectual elite and medicine.
Russia seeks to maintain balanced relations with Armenia, Azerbaijan | Features & Opinion | RIA Novosti
What i want to say that political situation in south caucasus from 1988 has changed, there is always fear of war on both sides but Russia as sign of stability in region ever cooperated & negotiate both states to avoid any military action.
In my point of view, Russia will play role to make stability and bring both sides on table talk and not to let situation disturb as peace of region suffered by Georgian aggressors and here again Russia put full stop against any further unrest in region.
not to be disrespectful but .... you know we don't hear much about Armenia and azarbaijan
