YEREVAN, OCTOBER 3, ARMENPRESS. Spokesperson of the Armenian Ministry of Foreign Affairs Anna Naghdalyan has addressed Russian Minister of Foreign Affairs Sergei Lavrov’s comments which the latter made at the Valdai forum.

Question: How would you comment on the Russian FM’s statement that certain statements regarding the NK conflict, namely the “Artsakh is Armenia, period”, “do not contribute to the formation of a respective atmosphere for the restoration of the political process”.

Answer: Armenia was and remains a supporter of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairmanship format, the impartial and unbiased mediation of whom in this issue is the guarantee for preserving unity between the co-chairing countries and the peaceful settlement. At the same time we find it important for each of the mediators to avoid optional and one-sided assessments.

In regard to the comment mentioned in your question we reiterate the August 6 statement of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The Armenian side’s stance is clearly expressed in all speeches of the Armenian Prime Minister, including in the September 24 speech made at the UN, which reiterated the formula proposed by Armenia on achieving peace and compromise. In this regard we consider unacceptable Azerbaijan’s inability to publicly express the kind of solutions of peaceful settlement which will be acceptable for the peoples of Armenia, Artsakh and Azerbaijan.

The Azerbaijani claims unilaterally predetermining the results of negotiations that the conflict must be settled “exclusively within the framework of Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity”, do not contribute to the formation of a respective atmosphere for advancing the peace process.

Question: The Russian FM has also mentioned exchange of bodies, as well as the exchange of captives in small numbers. Could you clarify?

Answer: No exchange of bodies has taken place, rather the Artsakh side allowed the retrieval of the Azerbaijani serviceman’s body as a humanitarian step.

We must clearly note that Armenia is not considering an exchange of prisoners kept in the territories of the parties, but is proceeding from positions of addressing every individual case within the framework of humanitarian law.

Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharyan