Lavrov recalls "5+2" format for peaceful settlement of Karabakh  conflict

ArmInfo.Russia recognizes the right to choose, and Moscow still maintains very good relations with  its Armenian friends, despite some existing issues. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov stated this at a joint press conference with his Armenian counterpart Ararat Mirzoyan following  talks in Yerevan on May 21.

He also suggested that the issues in relations between Yerevan and  Moscow arose due to misunderstanding.  "But, as for Karabakh, I will  say it again. No one can reproach us, for at least the last 20 years,  both President Putin and President Medvedev, and then President Putin  again, had been pushing for solutions that provided a fair approach  through peace talks," the Russian Foreign Minister noted. In this  vein, he recalled that the Russian side proposed to hand over 5 of  the 7 Azerbaijani regions as a first step. "Return the five regions  as a first step and retain the Kelbajar and Lachin districts as an  intermediate phase - and these are huge territories connecting  Armenia with Nagorno-Karabakh. Preserve them in the status they have  now and put off the resolution of the final status of  Nagorno-Karabakh for many year, and, in fact, until future  generations This is probably better than what happened now as  the  compromise proposals, promoted for many years by the Russian  leadership, were rejected. However, the right to choose was  exercised," the minister noted. 

Answering a question about the possible Ukrainization of Armenia,  Lavrov noted that such wording of the question means supporting the  Nazi regime. "What can be said about the  "Ukrainization" of Armenia?   Armenia is a civilized country. I don't see any reason for the  Ukrainization of Armenia. Armenia is our friend, it does not outlaw  the Russian language, it does not deprive ethnic Russians of their  legal rights.  Nowhere in the world, except in Ukraine, are there any  laws banning language. The Azerbaijani language is not banned in  Armenia. In Azerbaijan, the Armenian language is not banned by the  constitution. But in Ukraine, Russian is banned," the Russian  diplomat added.