Lavrov on Direct Talks Between Armenia and Azerbaijan: “If They Can Manage It, Then So Be It”

Russia's Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov says Moscow will support direct talks between Armenia and Azerbaijan if they can manage it.

Lavrov made the remarks at a press conference in Moscow on Thursday, May 12.

He said that Russia is ready to provide a platform for such talks, but it is up to the parties themselves to decide whether they are ready for direct negotiations.

Lavrov's comments come amid renewed tensions between Armenia and Azerbaijan over the disputed Nagorno-Karabakh region.

In recent weeks, there have been several ceasefire violations along the Line of Contact, which separates Armenian and Azerbaijani forces in Nagorno-Karabakh.

Lavrov said that Russia is concerned about the escalation of tensions and called on both sides to exercise restraint.

He also said that Russia is working with other countries in the region to try to find a peaceful solution to the conflict.

The conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh began in the late 1980s, when the region, which is internationally recognized as part of Azerbaijan, declared independence.

A war between Armenia and Azerbaijan over the region ended in 1994 with a ceasefire, but the conflict has never been fully resolved.

Russia has been a key player in the peace process, and has been mediating between Armenia and Azerbaijan since the early 1990s.