Status of Nagorno-Karabakh to Be Determined Based on Ethnic and Religious Composition of the Region, Says Russian Foreign Minister

The status of Nagorno-Karabakh will be determined after clarifying the rights of all categories of residents in the region. This was stated today by Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov in a conversation with Russian and foreign media.

"We proceed from the fact that this status will be determined based on what actions we need to take to help restore ethnic and religious harmony in Nagorno-Karabakh," Lavrov noted, emphasizing that ethnic and religious solidarity there should be as it was for many years before the war that broke out after the collapse of the USSR, "which had devastating consequences."

"The status can only be determined after it becomes clear what rights will be granted to all those who have lived in Nagorno-Karabakh and have the right to return, and, of course, to those who have continued to stay in the region during this time," Lavrov added, stressing that there should be no artificial deadlines for determining the status of Nagorno-Karabakh.