ASTANA. Oct 12 (Interfax) - Russia is ready to contribute to the implementation of the trilateral statements by the leaders of Russia, Armenia and Azerbaijan and discuss what needs to be done for their prompt implementation, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said.
"There is no doubt that we want to discuss today the situation in your talks with Azerbaijan. I know there have been contacts in Europe recently, various rumors and assumptions have been published in the media. Of course, it would be important to discuss today what else we could do for prompt implementation of the three trilateral statements by the leaders of Russia, Armenia and Azerbaijan," Lavrov said while opening the talks with Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan in Astana.
A lot has already been done for normalization, including on issues relating to the unblocking of transport ties, and there are "preliminary plans" on border delimitation issues, he said.
"Full normalization of relations between our close neighbors and friends is fully in our interests, we are ready to contribute to this process," the Russian minister said.
Mirzoyan, for his part, said there are many issues on which Armenia wants to hear the Russian Federation's position.
"We are fully committed to the three trilateral statements by the leaders of our states, we value the personal contribution of President Putin and Russia to the establishment of peace and normalization of relations with Azerbaijan. Simultaneously, we see that Azerbaijan's appetite is only growing, we are talking not only about Nagorno-Karabakh, although problems have not been solved there, but also about the sovereign territories of the Republic of Armenia," the Armenian foreign minister said.
"We, Armenia, like you said, are an ally and a strategic partner of Russia here, we expect a clear position of the Russian Federation," he said.
Mirzoyan said the issue has been discussed at a session of the UN Security Council, "and some countries with which there is no long history of friendship and strategic partnership made statements there that reflect the situation on the Armenian-Azerbaijani border more objectively and clearly."
"The events are happening intensively, the talks are being conducted intensively. There are very many parties that offer their mediation efforts, approaches, venues. It is very important for us to know Russia's position on these issues, we want to feel Russia's back and move further to normalize Armenian-Azerbaijani relations in the spirit of the trilateral agreements, we are ready for that," the Armenian minister said.