I do not believe that there has been any change in Russia’s position during the war in April [2016].

Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh Republic/NKR), Masis Mayilian, said the aforementioned in an interview with Iranian political analyst and journalist Salar Seifeddine. 

When asked whether Russia changed its policy in favor of Azerbaijan during the April 2016 war, Mayilian responded as follows, in particular: “I do not think there was any change in Russia’s position. Russia, the United States, and France are OSCE Minsk Group co-chair countries, and [therefore] they have agreed approaches on ensuring peace in this region.

“[But] solely Russia from the three co-chair countries has a corresponding mechanism for having an effect on the parties during military actions.”

And reflecting on the Karabakh peace talks, the NKR FM said as follows, in particular: “The three parties to the conflict consider the matters of territories, Artsakh’s status, refugees, security, and deblockage (…) of Artsakh and the Republic of Armenia to be key for a settlement [of this conflict].

“Artsakh is recognized by the OSCE as a conflict party (…). This is of great importance.

“However, since 1997, we can say the peace process proceeds in a distorted format, without direct participation by Artsakh, [and] which negatively affects the productiveness of the settlement process.

“Now, there is no negotiation process in the classical sense, as it was before 1997.

“And the war that Azerbaijan unleashed in April 2016, [and] which was a great blow also to the peace process, has further distanced the prospects for reaching a final solution to the conflict.

“At present, the main task is maintaining peace and stability in the region; and the efforts by the mediators are mainly aimed at this.”