Armenian, Azerbaijani presidents may meet in Vienna next week

The presidents of Armenia and Azerbaijan, Serzh Sargsyan and Ilham Aliyev, may meet in Vienna next week for talks on the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, the Russian Foreign Ministry said Thursday.


Although the meeting has not been settled, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov may take part in it with his French and U.S. counterparts Jean-Marc Ayrault and John Kerry, Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said at a weekly briefing.


"The main purpose of the consultations is to strengthen the ceasefire regime and reduce the risks of war ... to create necessary conditions for the resumption of negotiations aimed at achieving a comprehensive settlement," Zakharova added.


Armenia and Azerbaijan have been locked in a bitter dispute over the mountainous region of Nagorno-Karabakh since 1988, when the enclave dominated by ethnic Armenians claimed independence from Azerbaijan and declared to join Armenia.


Peace talks have been held since 1994 when a ceasefire agreement was reached, but there have been occasional minor clashes.


In early April, new clashes took place in the contact line in Nagorno-Karabakh between Azerbaijani and Armenian forces, which resulted in numerous casualties on both sides.


Russia, France and the United States have worked together to mediate a peaceful solution to the conflict. Enditem

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