The statement came from head of the interparliamentary group of friendship between Russia and Azerbaijan, Russian State Duma deputy Dmitriy Savelyev, commenting on the upcoming visit of Russian President Vladimir Putin to Azerbaijan.
The Russian and Azerbaijani presidents will be held as part of the opening of the first European Games due in Baku on 12-28 June 2015.
It is expected that as part of the meeting the sides will discuss the Karabakh conflict.
“I suppose that this issue will be raised as part of the meeting between the presidents of Azerbaijan and Russia. The Karabakh conflict can be settled in the short- or middle-term perspective”, he said.
Savelyev noted that the occupied lands around Nagorno Karabakh must be returned to Azerbaijan.
“I have repeatedly said that seven regions around Nagorno Karabakh must be returned to Azerbaijan in the short-term perspective and in the middle-term perspective all refugees must return to Karabakh, after which a referendum will follow. Only after the return of Azerbaijani citizens, the issue of the NK status will be solved”, he said.
The parliamentarian also said that Karabakh must be returned to Azerbaijan and the Armenian people are primarily interested in the resolution of the Karabakh conflict.
He said the people of Armenia must be interested in the settlement of the conflict because in this case such an economically strong country, as Azerbaijan will take part in the economic life of Armenia. The borders with Turkey will open too.
“I hope that this issue will be discussed as a continuation of the meeting between the presidents of Russia, Azerbaijan and Armenia in Sochi and this problem must be resolved soon”, Savelyev said.
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