Today, Russian President Vladimir Putin, answering the questions of the participants of the “Russia is calling” investment forum, made a number of statements on the Karabakh issue, TASS reports.
Putin is confident that the conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh has no easy solutions
The President of Russia noted that each of the parties in this matter “has its own truth”
The solution to the conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh is to find a balance of interests between Azerbaijan and Armenia. This opinion was expressed by Russian President Vladimir Putin, speaking on Thursday at the forum “VTB Capital” “Russia is calling!”
“What or where is the long-term settlement? In finding a balance of interests that would suit both sides – both the Azerbaijani people, to whom we treat with unwavering respect, and the interests of the Armenian people,” he said.
Putin recalled that the conflict began with ethnic clashes. “The then leadership of the Soviet Union did not take any effective measures to ensure the safety of people. The Armenians took up arms and did it themselves,” Putin said. “They did well or badly, but initially negative events on ethnic soil. This led to the fact that Nagorno-Karabakh itself and seven other regions of Azerbaijan were under the control of Armenia, Putin said. He added that now Azerbaijan insists on its right to return seven regions that are not related to the ethnic conflict, and further deal with the ownership of Nagorno-Karabakh. “Each has its own truth,” the Russian leader noted. “There are no simple solutions here, because the knot is very difficult to tie.”
Putin stressed that Russia’s position is open. “We initially proceeded from the fact that it is necessary to talk about the possibility of transferring five plus two regions to Azerbaijan with the provision of a certain regime of the Karabakh zone, interaction with Armenia,” he explained.
According to the head of state, the conflict must be resolved in such a way that people feel safe, but at the same time conditions have been created for the effective development of the territories. “[This] would give an opportunity, including many of our today’s participants in the discussion, to take part in the development of these territories, to invest,” the President of Russia noted. “And there is where to invest. People in both countries are very effective and talented. “.
The conflict, which has lasted for several decades, does not provide an opportunity for the effective development of both sides, the Russian leader added. At the same time, at the first stage, it is necessary to stop hostilities and the death of people; sit down at the negotiating table and, on the basis of the proposals of the OSCE Minsk Group, find a consensus and balance of interests, Putin said.
