Serzh Sargsyan: Baku once again proved that Artsakh can not have anything in common with Azerbaijan

Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan met with Minister of Foreign Affairs of Russia Sergey 
Lavrov who is with an official visit in Yerevan. 

During the meeting the sides discussed the issues of Armenian-Russian agenda and the situation created at the result of military aggression 
initiated by Azerbaijan against Nagorno-Karabakh between April 2 and April 5, the press-service of the Armenian President informs. 

Sargsyan noted that the Armenian-Russian agenda is very rich and the most essential issues are raised during the visits including those on 
high level. 

"It has happened that the visit of Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev to Armenia and your visit are being paid amid growing 
tensions in our region. And it is an open secret that this situation is caused by Azerbaijan's irresponsible actions. Unleashing 
wide-scale military actions against Nagorno-Karabakh Baku has once again proved that Artsakh can not have anything in common with 
Azerbaijan. Using its whole weapon structure Azerbaijan has certainly received adequate response", the Armenian President stated.  

At the same time the President noted that Azerbaijan has harmed the negotiation process significantly by its actions. Sargsyan recalled 
that Armenia has always had constructive stand in this process, and has always been sure that the Minsk Group Co-Chairs will eventually 
present their approach on the conflict settlement directly indicating the side which refutes its proposals. 

"But unfortunately, Azerbaijan considered that it can breach agreements on ceasefire reached in 1994-1995 and the agreements we 
have achieved in years of negotiation process. We launched this process in 2007.  We actively participated in it for 9 years, 
attempted to find mutually beneficial decision and tried to be constructive. We were sure that this issue can be solved exclusively 
on the basis of mutual concessions by peaceful means, but we have what we have. That is why your stand on why all this happened is 
extremely important for me. Certainly we have our own point of view, but you are more informed, and we would be grateful if you present 
your considerations", Sargsyan stated.

Lavrov in his turn presented the results of the previous meetings in Yerevan. "We have already held good negotiations, studied the process 
of implementation of the bilateral agreements, which you have achieved with President Vladimir Putin. There are certain setbacks 
but however, observance of all the fundamental agreements is maintained. This is our main goal: to work towards the presidents' 
instructions. We have also discussed the situation in Nagorno-Karabakh settlement and we are deeply concerned with the 
recent developments. As you know from the first minutes the Russian side and the Russian leader personally aimed at stopping breach of 
agreements signed in 1994-1995, which have no time limitations. We have confirmed it today and urged not to put to question these key 
documents. And it was managed to stop the bloodshed", Lavrov noted. 

At the same time the Russian Foreign Minister stated that currently the situation is not finally stabilized.  According to him Russia 
thinks that it is very important to bring to life those agreements between Armenian and Azerbaijani presidents, which were reached by 
Russian mediation five years ago. The issue relates to the mechanisms for investigating the incidents, preventing these incidents, and 
confidence measures, in order to maximally reduce at least by technical steps the risk of any growth of confrontation. 

Lavrov recalled that OSCE was given the relevant instructions and Russia now wants German Chairmanship to actively deal with the issue.  
He agreed that currently it is difficult to return to negotiation table time is needed for the situation to stabilize and people to 
 calm down. 

"I also agree that there is no military settlement of the conflict  and this means that efforts should be exerted for political 
solution. Why has the situation developed into this critical point? I can not decide instead of Armenia, Azerbaijan and Karabakh people but 
I think that if we had managed to reach at least small progress in political process, to define common principles, which would be 
approved by the sides as the basis for further work, for preparing legally mandatory documents, this would certainly play important role 
not only for the negotiations but would also become a restraining factor for preventing any escalation of violence. But I should repeat 
that only the sides themselves can make decisions. We were trying, and will try to help jointly with our US and French counterparts. We 
have common approach and I understand that Armenia supports it, and that the Co-Chairs should continue performing their function of the 
main coordinator according to the mandate given to it by the sides' agreement. And we do not support any attempts to find other parallel 
ways, create such mechanisms, which do not enjoy confidence of all the sides. This will only distract attention from the main task: to 
ensure security, avoid new victims and create conditions for resuming political process", Lavrov summarized.