YEREVAN. – Western countries are passive in Karabakh conflict resolution, which gives Russia opportunity to be more active in the issue, Armenia’s first president Levon Ter-Petrosyan told Moskovskie Novosti newspaper.

“Russia pursues active policy on the Karabakh issue. U.S. has other urgent and significant issues than Karabakh. Thus, Russia gradually takes the initiative of conflict solution by arranging meetings of the presidents [of Armenia and Azerbaijan], signing agreements and three-sided declarations,” Ter-Petrosyan told and added that Russia is a good mediator as both Armenia and Azerbaijan trust it.

However, Armenia’s former president believes in case the Karabakh conflict is not soon solved, Azerbaijan will initiate war.

“Armenia will never initiate war, whoever the president is. Azerbaijan will take the initiative to start war, and the most dangerous is that no one can prevent it,” stressed Armenian first president.

Ter-Petrosyan also noted that Russia, having Armenia as its chief ally in the Caucasus, tries to establish mutually beneficial relations with Azerbaijan.