The Russian side considers the decision of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) to dissolve the Minsk Group on the settlement of the Karabakh conflict justified, stated Maria Zakharova, Director of the Information and Press Department of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA), TASS reports.

Zakharova noted that Russia, along with other OSCE member states, took a direct part in the adoption of this decision based on the rule of consensus.

“We [i.e. Russia] believe that this step is well-grounded and justified, taking into account the radical changes in the situation in the region,” she noted.

“The initiative to reduce the Minsk institutions belongs to Armenia and Azerbaijan. On August 11, the foreign ministers of these countries petitioned to the OSCE with a respective proposal, confirming that Baku and Yerevan no longer need the tools of the Minsk process,” said Zakharova.

“Let me remind that throughout the work of the Minsk Group, the Russian co-chairmanship has made every effort to fulfill the tasks put in the interests of reconciliation between the friendly peoples of Azerbaijan and Armenia,” added the Russian MFA spox.