Russian Foreign Minister: "Adoption of the Moscow declaration on the Karabakh issue by the Presidents of Azerbaijan and Armenia is a big step forward" - UPDATED

"Certainly, this way requires time. It is quite long. There is a light. And I see the light in that both presidents confirmed their readiness and intention to continue meeting on the high level, which they did for the first time through 14 years in a form of the document, they undersigned", said Russian Foreign Minister in his interview to Ekho Moskvy radio station.

He said this occurred for the first time from the moment of "completion of the hot phase of the conflict".

"Second, the Moscow declaration contains definite instructions of President Aliyev and President Sargsyan to their foreign ministers to intensify work on the search of compromises. Third, they fix the very fact of existence of the Madrid document, which the co-chairs transferred to the sides a ear ago and now  registered in OSCE", noted the Minister.

Lavrov attaches special importance to the fact that the "Armenian and Azerbaijani parties fixed existence of this document and work consider it on the level of the presidents".

"Each side has its own claim towards the Madrid documents, especially to the parts, fixing the compromise vision of the settlement of the remaining differences on three-four issues. But the fact that both parties fixed existence of a document and readiness to work considering it is a big step forward", said Lavrov stressing the need for the participation and cooperation of Russia, United States and France in this issue.

"Most our partners in the West had suspicions that Russia tries to create a new format but we do not even think about it, we value the trilateral format", said he.

"Russia, USA and France to do have tactical discrepancies, work in the same direction and push the parties towards the agreement. The Moscow declaration fixes the preserved importance of this mechanism and it should be used", said Lavrov.

/Interfax-Azerbaijan, Novosti-Armenia/