The major topic of discussions between Foreign Ministers of Azerbaijan and Russia, Elmar Mammadyarov and Sergey Lavrov, was to move the Karabakh talks from the dead center, Elmar Mammadyarov said in an interview with "Russia 24" TV, on May 25.
"Settlement of conflicts is too serious an issue to be left for generals. Diplomacy must have its contribution to the process. Of course, there are principles the post-war order is based on, and it is very difficult and dangerous to change them," the Azerbaijani minister said. Asked if Azerbaijan weighs a possibility to join the Eurasian Economic Union, Mammadyarov said his country studies its foreign policy doctrine keeping with the national interests, which helps to strengthen the independence, sovereignty, and boost the political, economic and humanitarian development.
"The Customs Union plays a big part in the EEU. However, we cannot co-exist with Armenia in the Customs Union as long as there are occupied territories," the minister said adding that Azerbaijan may join the Union if "Armenia withdraws its troops, the borders are opened, and the situation is normalized, and there will be an economic component between Armenia and Azerbaijan."
Talking to the State Duma Chairman Sergey Naryshkin earlier, Mammadyarov said it is high time to settle the Karabakh conflict. Mammadyarov called the status quo inadmissible saying the leadership of Armenia "must abandon their destructive policy and show political will" to resolve the conflict. Naryshkin said Russia is committed to peaceful settlement of the conflict within the nearest future.