The developments in the Nagorno-Karabakh region showed that it is necessary to resolve this conflict by diplomatic means, Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said April 22nd following the meeting with his Armenian counterpart Edward Nalbandian in Yerevan, Trend reports.
As one of the co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group, Russia will provide all possible assistance to the parties of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict in the process of settlement, he added.
Recall, on the night of April 2 all frontier positions of Azerbaijan were exposed to heavy fire from large-caliber weapons, mortars, grenade launchers and guns. In addition, Azerbaijani settlements near the front line, densely populated by civilians, were shelled.
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% of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts.
The two countries signed a ceasefire agreement in 1994. The co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group, Russia, France and the US, are currently holding peace negotiations.
Armenia has not yet implemented the UN Security Council's four resolutions on withdrawal of its armed forces from Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding districts.
