Russian FM Visits Azerbaijan, Discusses Ties

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has held talks in Baku with his Azerbaijani counterpart, Elmar Mammadyarov.

The two foreign ministers told reporters on June 18 that the talks focused on further development of bilateral ties, the situation around Azerbaijan's breakaway region of Nagorno-Karabakh, as well as the ongoing crisis in Ukraine.

Lavrov said that Azerbaijan has not been formally invited to join either to a Russian-led Customs Union or the Eurasian Economic Union, but added that Moscow would welcome any partner interested in collaboration with those alliances.

Baku has indicated in the past that it has no plans to join those blocs.

According to Lavrov, the frozen conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh will not affect the Eurasian integration processes under way between Russia, Kazakhstan, and Belarus, a process he said will soon be joined by Armenia.

Based on reporting by apa.az and Interfax