Replacement of Russian OSCE MG Co-Chair Yuri Merzlyakov won’t affect Russia’s position in the Minsk Group, according to Russian Foreign Ministry’s spokesman Andrei Nesterenko.

“Russia’s position in the MG is not determined by its representatives, but rather by the Russian President, with Foreign Ministry acting upon it,” Mr. Nesterenko emphasized.

Also, Russian Foreign Ministry spokesman said that Karabakh conflict settlement must not be linked to Armenia-Turkey rapprochement. “We understand that both processes can’t but influence one another. Nevertheless, determining the progress of one process by another’s can prove counterproductive, bringing both issues against a standstill. Karabakh conflict settlement should no longer be kept hostage to Armenia-Turkey rapprochement in order to rule out unrealistic preconditions,” RIA Novosti cited him as saying.