MOSCOW (Reuters) -Russia on Saturday praised the U.S.-brokered peace accord between Azerbaijan and Armenia, but warned that outside intervention could complicate the situation in the South Caucasus.
The agreement, signed on Friday during a meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump, includes exclusive U.S. development rights to a transport corridor through Armenia, linking Azerbaijan to its Nakhchivan exclave bordering Turkey.
In its first comments, Russia's Foreign Ministry said Moscow supported efforts to promote stability and prosperity in the region, including the Washington meeting, despite earlier statements from Baku and Yerevan favouring direct talks without mediators.
The ministry said that lasting solutions should be developed by regional countries with support from neighbours like Russia, Iran, and Turkey.
"The involvement of non-regional players should strengthen the peace agenda, not create new divisions," the ministry said, adding that it hoped to avoid the "unfortunate experience" of Western-led conflict resolution in the Middle East.
(Reporting by Maxim RodionovEditing by Mark Potter)
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