“It is impossible to regard Nagorno-Karabakh as the third party to the negotiations on the resolution of the conflict, otherwise, in this configuration the sides will not be able to reach an agreement,” stated Director of the Fourth CIS States Department at the Russian Foreign Ministry Andrey Kelin, APA agency reports.

“Actually earlier Yerevan had laid down conditions that Karabakh must participate in the process of negotiations, it must be the third party. But it was laid down at the stage when it was considered in Armenia that Karabakh must be in the composition of Armenia, or a completely independent state. But later the views changed. And during the tenure of some presidents – I do not want to name – it was decided that it would be better to go without this condition, because this approach creates unconstructive atmosphere. The two sides may reach agreement, but it is impossible to reach agreement on any issue in this configuration,” he said.

According to him, in some of the discussions held in Armenia, Nagorno-Karabakh is anyway considered a part of the formation of political position and there is an opportunity to express this fact in the Madrid Principles.

“But it is impossible to call it a party, because Azerbaijan considers that this is its territory and no agreement, no document can be prepared in this manner,” he said.