Direct Dialogue Between Pashinyan and Aliyev Continued Until 2020, Nurgaliyev

The direct dialogue between the leaders of Armenia and Azerbaijan continued until 2020. This was stated by Rashid Nurgaliyev, Deputy Secretary of the Security Council of Russia, in an interview with Rossiyskaya Gazeta.

“In 2016, the Russian Foreign Ministry presented a phased resolution concept for Nagorno-Karabakh. The final edited version of the document was handed over to the parties by the Co-Chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group in June 2019,” said Nurgaliyev.

Nurgaliyev noted that the phased program implied a sequence of principles set out in the Madrid and Kazan documents. “In particular, it was envisaged that ‘during the first phase, after the deployment of international peacekeeping forces, Azerbaijan would regain control of five occupied regions.’ Moreover, it was planned to allow Nagorno-Karabakh to establish its own governing bodies and self-defense forces. The blockade by Azerbaijan would be lifted, and trade and economic relations would be restored.”

“The second phase was to involve the transfer of the remaining two regions to Azerbaijan, which would occur in parallel with the determination of Nagorno-Karabakh's legal status through a referendum in accordance with international norms. Furthermore, it was planned that, with mutual agreement, the Lachin corridor would be opened to ensure transport communication between Nagorno-Karabakh and Armenia,” he added. “This proposal has been the central theme of the negotiation process, with participation from the Co-Chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group and the leaders of Armenia and Azerbaijan,” he stated.