By Eva Sahakyan

Artsakh Conflict Must be Resolved by Peaceful Means" width="224" height="140" />YEREVAN, August 19–The Artsakh (Nagorno Karabakh) conflict must be resolved by peaceful means, and this opinion is shared by the co-chairmen of the OSCE Minsk group, according to Sergey Lavrov, the Russian Minister of Foreign Affairs, in his interview with Public Television of Armenia.

He added that every document of the Artsakh conflict highlights the necessity of a peaceful settlement. This idea is also stressed in the Maindorf Declaration, signed by the Armenian, Russian and Azerbaijani presidents on November 2, 2008.

The Russian Minister also spoke about the sale of the S-300 anti-aircraft rocket system  to Azerbaijan, which has provoked serious debate among the Armenian people. Lavrov mentioned that the S-300 rocket system has become a symbol of alarm.

“Let’s not forget what S-300 anti-aircraft rocket systems are. They are defensive arms, aimed at defending the appropriate territory from outer rocket attacks. That’s all,” he said.

Lavrov added that they place S-300 anti-aircraft rocket systems according to the norms of international law, Russia’s international obligations and the country’s national legislation on export control. “We never place arms in regions where it can destabilize the situation, be it Transcaucasia, Middle East or any other point on the planet,” he said.

Yerevan Report