Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov will discuss the the Nagorny Karabakh issue during his two-day visit to Armenia that kicks off Wednesday.

Lavrov will meet with President Serzh Sargsyan and with Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian, Russian Foreign Ministry spokesman Andrei Nesterenko said.

The conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan over Nagorny Karabakh first erupted in 1988, when the region claimed independence from Azerbaijan to join Armenia.

Over 30,000 people are estimated to have died on both sides between 1988 and 1994, when a ceasefire was agreed. Nagorny Karabakh has remained in Armenian control and tensions between Azerbaijan and Armenia have persisted.

The OSCE Minsk Group, comprising the United States, Russia and France, is a mediator in the conflict.

The officials will also discuss bilateral cooperation.

Nesterenko said that despite the global crisis, Russian-Armenian trade, economic, military, political, humanitarian and interregional cooperation "showed positive development tendencies."

MOSCOW, January 13 (RIA Novosti)