Russian FM due in May

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov is due to visit Azerbaijan in May, Ambassador Vasiliy Istratov said.

During the talks, the parties will discuss issues of bilateral and regional cooperation, prospects for settling the Armenia-Azerbaijan Upper (Nagorno) Garabagh conflict as well as political situation in the South Caucasus and Caspian regions, the diplomat said.

The relations between Baku and Moscow have been facing some tension since last year’s dispute over gas supplies. The situation exacerbated with the recent announcement by Pentagon officials of their plans to station radars in the South Caucasus. Observers say the Russian diplomat’s visit aims to address the outstanding political problems between Russia and Azerbaijan.

Azerbaijan turned down Russian gas supplies and stopped using the Russian pipeline to export its oil to Europe after Russian giant Gazprom more than doubled the price for its gas to $235 per 1,000 cubic meters for 2007.*