Putin, Obama discuss situations in Nagorno-Karabakh, Syria, Ukraine

MOSCOW - Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday discussed with his US counterpart Barack Obama the situations in Nagorno-Karabakh region, as well as Syrian and Ukrainian crises in a telephone conversation, according to a Kremlin statement.

On the dispute over the Nagorno-Karabakh region between Armenia and Azerbaijan, which escalated into bloody clashes in early April, Putin and Obama talked about the results of the June 20 meeting of Armenian and Azerbaijani leaders in Russia's St. Petersburg.

Both Russia and the United States co-chair the Minsk Group under the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE).

Putin stressed Russia expected the speedy stabilization of the situation and the creation of conditions to push forward peace process.

Obama praised Russia's efforts and agreed to continue active joint work under the framework of the OSCE Minsk Group.

On Syrian crisis, Putin repeated the call for separating moderate Syrian oppositions from the Jabhat al-Nusra terrorist group and other extremists not covered by the ceasefire regime.

"(Putin and Obama) reaffirmed their readiness to intensify the coordination of military actions in Syria, as well as the importance of resuming the intra-Syrian negotiation process under UN auspices in order to reach political settlement of the conflict," said Kremlin.

When discussing the Ukrainian crisis, Putin stressed that Kiev should strictly comply with the Minsk accords, "including establishing a real direct dialogue with Donetsk and Lugansk, announcing amnesty, granting (self-proclaimed) Donetsk and Lugansk People's Republics the special status, a joint work on a law on local elections."

"There is no alternative to the path of political settlement," Putin said, adding that more efforts should be paid by all relevant sides to prevent ceasefire violations, and ensure a complete heavy weapons withdrawal.