YEREVAN. – Armenia can hardly have any doubt in Russia's reliability as a partner that is providing guarantee for solution to Karabakh conflict without force, Russian economist Iosiph Diskin told Armenian News-NEWS.am.

His comment came in response to a question whether implementation of TANAP project with gas supplies of Russian gas may change Moscow's position on Karabakh.

Diskin stressed that this is impossible, since Armenia is Russia's ally in CSTO.

“According to the agreement on security, Russia is a partner of Armenia. Russia is a historic partner of Armenia. And as I understand it, it is unlikely Armenia can have any doubts about the reliability of Russia as a partner to guarantee a non-military solution to the conflict,” Diskin said, adding that Russia stands for peaceful settlement of the Karabakh conflict.

He is convinced that Russia will do everything to ensure that this the issue is not turned into a military phase.

Earlier, the deputy head of Deputy Director of the National Energy Security Fund Aleksey Grivach said that TANAP can be used by Gazprom for Russian gas supplies to southern Europe which had to be transported via South Stream.

After talks with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Ankara, Russian president Vladimir Putin announced Moscow's refusal to participate in South Stream project.