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The Nagorno Karabakh conflict shall be solved in a way that makes no side feel defeated or victorious, President Vladimir Putin of Russia said in a joint press conference with his Armenian counterpart, Serzh Sargsyan, following a bilateral meeting in Moscow today, August 10.

Responding to a question about the past two high-level meetings in Vienna and Saint Perersburg on Nagorno Karabakh conflict resolution in May and June, which were followed by Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev’s claims that Armenia allegedly had committed “to give up” regions around Nagorno Karabakh in two steps, and “to what extent those statements are in line with particularly Saint Petersburg negotiations”, President Putin declined to comment on other leaders’ statements, but still added:

“I think everyone understands that when you are in that difficult process of coordinating positions and seeking compromises all the political and diplomatic means, including through mass media, are being utilized in order to formulate certain demands and positions. There is nothing extraordinary here. That’s in essence a common practice”.

“In reality I think both Armenia and Azerbaijan are indeed interested to overcome this problem in a way that will enable their people to live in peace and mutual understanding, to cooperate and develop their economies. Armenia is not least interested in that in order to lift infrastructure and [other] economic limitations, to develop the economy, improve the quality of life for the people and strengthen the Armenian statehood. That is our main goal. The Azerbaijani side has the same goal”, - Putin said.

President Putin also said that his recent contacts with his Azerbaijani counterpart confirmed that Azerbaijan was also interested in establishing peace. “But we need to find such approaches and schemes which will make no side feel defeated or victorious. Instead, there should be such a solution that will be elaborated by Armenian and Azerbaijani Presidents and accepted by the societies in both states. That’s the most important thing”, - Putin added.

“And Russia, as well as other states of Minsk Group, can be the guarantors, and, if the need be, adopt relevant resolutions in the UN Security Council, too”, - Russian President concluded.