"Russia and Azerbaijan in the course of bilateral contacts discuss concrete steps that can and should lead to progress in resolving the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict," Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Tuesday at a meeting with his Azerbaijani counterpart Elmar Mammadyarov, according to TASS.

"Yesterday we had a detailed, frank and confidential dialogue with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev. We discussed the bilateral relations in principle and identified further steps that can and should lead to progress in the Nagorno-Karabakh settlement. I fully share your words as regards our bilateral relations and strategic partnership: they are developing in all directions, without exception", Lavrov said.

Mammadyarov for his part noted the "high level of the dialogue that is intensifying." According to him, the parties are engaged in dialogue on many issues, including, economic, humanitarian matters and the Nagorno-Karabakh settlement.

"There is the hope that the intensification of the negotiating process will make it possible to untie the knot of the conflict", he said.