Lavrov: We do not slow down de-mining efforts in Karabakh

"We have noticed progress achieved in stabilizing the situation around Nagorno Karabakh. We do not slow down efforts aimed at de-mining, protecting cultural and religious heritage, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said at the press conference following the talks with Armenian Foreign Minister Ara Ayvazyan in Yerevan.

Report's Russian Bureau notes that, according to Lavrov, the trilateral working group led by Deputy Prime Ministers of Russia, Azerbaijan, and Armenia on unblocking economic ties and transport communications in the region make an essential contribution to normalizing relations in the region: "The success of this work will have a decisive importance for the creation of conditions, necessary to normalize the overall situation and establish creative cooperation in the post-conflict period."

The Russian Foreign Minister also stressed the necessity of the further activity of the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs to assist in creating the atmosphere of trust.

"We, like no one else, are interested in the practical application of all achieved trilateral agreements. When people feel the benefit of the peaceful life, they will start to form a different approach to issues that they view as acute now," Lavrov said.

The Russian Foreign Minister urged not to politicize the process of establishing peaceful life: "The course of the process is difficult since there are numerous issues that need to be addressed for the region to breathe freely and live a peaceful life. Those who are trying to postpone these issues for later and now engage in political discussions are turning the whole process upside down."