“The normalization of Armenian-Turkish relations has its autonomous importance in that it is normalization between two nations that have had hard times in their relations,” Andrey Nesterenko, an official representative of the RF Ministry of Foreign Affairs, stated at a press briefing.

“As far as we know issues related to Nagorno-Karabakh were raised during the Yerevan-Ankara negotiations. This range of issue must be considered in this process. Let us hope that all the issues will be settled in conformity with the decisions made by international organizations and meet the interests of all the nations of the region,” Nesterenko said.

As regards Russia’s mediation in the Nagorno-Karabakh peace process, Nesterenko said: “We are doing our best to help the sides resolve the problem in the interests of the Nagorno-Karabakh population. It is not a new problem. It has numerous aspects and involves emotions, memory of tragic events. Being involved in the negotiation process, we are doing our best to get the expected result.” Nesterenko found it difficult to specify the date of the next Armenian-Azerbaijani presidential meeting, referring journalists to the Armenian and Azerbaijani Foreign Offices.

It is noteworthy that in their previous official comments the Russian side, as well as the OSCE Minsk Goup — with Yuri Merzlyakov, official representative of the RF Ministry of Foreign Affairs, as Russian Co-Chair – denied any link between the Nagorno-Karabakh peace process and Armenia-Turkey normalization process.

NEWS.am inquired about the opinion held by Tigran Balayan, Acting Spokesman of the RA Ministry of Foreign Affairs, on how the information on the issues negotiated by Yerevan and Ankara became available to the RF Foreign Office. Balayan said that the Armenian and Turkish sides did not discuss the Nagorno-Karabakh problem.

So the Russian side must be getting information – or misinformation – from Turkish sources.