YEREVAN, JANUARY 15, ARMENPRESS. The settlement of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict is on the hands of the sides, Russian foreign minister Sergey Lavrov said during an annual press conference, stating that positive signals are expected from the sides regarding the proposals of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs, reports Armenpress.  

“Russia cannot have concrete plans over the Nagorno Karabakh conflict settlement since the conflicting sides should settle the issue. As OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs, Russia together with the US and France does everything to create necessary conditions for the settlement”, the Russian FM said.

He stated that in the recent years intensive efforts were made by summing up all positions of the conflicting sides and trying to identify from them the coinciding approaches over this or that aspect of the NK conflict settlement. The Russian minister stated that at the same time they tried to hint the mutual concessions which can lead the sides to a common agreement on issues over which there are still disagreements.

“This work has been carried out intensively. All proposals of the Co-Chairs made last year, the Co-Chairs have common approaches on this matter, are at the sides. The sides know what the Co-Chairs think, but they should make a decision. Of course, we expect positive signals from both sides”, he said. FM Lavrov expressed satisfaction over the fact that meetings of the Armenian and Azerbaijani presidents, as well as foreign ministers were held during 2017. He recalled that the representatives of the Co-Chair countries also participated in these processes.

“I think now it is important to take additional steps so that it will be calmer in the line of contact. This will help to pass to a political settlement. This conflict cannot be solved once in one document. A step-by-step approach is needed which will reflect an agreement on what is possible now and will clarify the activity directions on issues that need further discussions for the final settlement which will include the issue of the status of Nagorno Karabakh”, the Russian FM said.