Settlement in Nagorno-Karabakh is possible but some matters are yet to be agreed - Lavrov

MOSCOW, March 6. /TASS/. The Nagorno-Karabakh conflict can be ultimately settled however there are two or three outstanding issues that are yet to be agreed, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said on Monday after talks with his visiting Azerbaijani counterpart, Elmar Mamedyarov. "We believe the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict can be settled," he said. "First of all, these are issues of security, humanitarian problems, the return of the areas around Karabakh that are not controlled by Azerbaijan, the establishment of Nagorno-Karabakh’s status with due account of the opinion of people living there, and parameters of international peacekeeping forces." "We have reached agreement on most aspects of the final solution but there are two or three concrete topics that are essential to the final package that are still being discussed," Lavrov noted. "I will be frank the sides are far away from accord on these outstanding issues." According to the Russian top diplomat, before beginning meaningful settlement talks it is necessary to deescalate the situation around Nagorno-Karabakh which has deteriorated in the recent period. "I am confidents it is necessary to build up measures of trust, including with due account of the results of the summits that were held last May in Vienna and last June in St. Petersburg and with on the basis of proposals that were worked out within the OSCE," the Russian minister added. Read more