2024-09-29 09:31:33
Maria Zakharova, the official representative of the Russian Foreign Ministry, responded to the assessments from Armenia, according to which Russian efforts aimed at the regulation of relations between Armenia and Azerbaijan are ineffective.
In this regard, in the comment of the official representative of the Russian Foreign Ministry, it is noted that the tripartite agreements reached between the leaders of Russia, Azerbaijan and Armenia on November 9, 2020, January 11, 2021 and November 26, 2021, and October 31, 2022 the package is a “road map” with no alternative in the process of reconciliation between Armenia and Azerbaijan. That package includes all the key areas of the process of relations between Armenia and Azerbaijan: economic and transport ties, unblocking of communications, demarcation of the Armenian-Azerbaijani border, signing of a peace treaty, development of dialogue between public and professional circles.
“These agreements are in force, none of the parties has withdrawn its signature under them. Considering the absence of a peace treaty between Armenia and Azerbaijan, we consider it extremely dangerous to try to abandon these important documents. Such a step will inevitably lead to serious risks, first of all for Armenia itself. This challenge will not be circumvented with the help of fake Western mediators. The USA and the EU, unlike Russia, are not trying to bring peace and stability to Armenia or other countries of the South Caucasus. Their goal is completely different. to overshadow us and other regional actors, to create a new source of tension after the Balkans, the Middle East and Ukraine,” said the representative of the Russian Foreign Ministry.
Maria Zakharova also stated that “due to a number of steps taken by the Armenian side, it was not possible to fully implement the tripartite agreements.” In particular, the Armenian side “changed its position by 180 degrees” on the Nagorno-Karabakh issue at the summit held in Prague in 2022 under the auspices of the EU, declaring that it recognizes Nagorno-Karabakh as part of Azerbaijan. According to Zakharova, it was done at the suggestion of EU consultants.
“They forgot to at least mention the need to properly ensure the rights and security of the Armenian population of that region. That decision radically changed the situation in the deployment zone of the Russian peacekeeping troops,” Zakharova emphasized.
“The violation of tripartite agreements was also negatively affected by the Armenian side’s use of the Lachin Corridor for arms supplies to Nagorno-Karabakh, as well as Yerevan’s unwillingness to completely withdraw Armenian armed units from the region, which in many ways led to military clashes in September,” the Russian MFA added. representative.
Maria Zakharova noted that Yerevan did not make the necessary efforts to unblock transport communications so that specific agreements are reached by the tripartite working group co-chaired by the vice prime ministers of Russia, Armenia, and Azerbaijan.
“In particular, for months, the Armenian side has been blocking the start of work on the restoration of railway communication between Azerbaijan and Armenia, refusing to observe the provisions of clause 9 of the agreement of November 9, 2020,” he said.
In the comment of the official representative of the Russian Foreign Ministry, it is also mentioned that the delimitation process has not started either.
“The real border demarcation works with the advisory support of Russia, which were agreed upon by the leaders of the three countries back in November 2021, have not yet started. In order to invite the EU mission to Armenia, the Armenian side refused CSTO mechanisms to stabilize the situation in the border zones. So, the delay in the implementation of the tripartite agreements is not a direct consequence of Moscow’s policy, but of Yerevan’s inconsistent actions,” stated the official representative of the Russian Foreign Ministry, adding that “the way out of the created difficult situation is obvious: to return to the implementation of the tripartite agreements”, which the Russian side is ready for. to support.
“We reaffirm our proposal to organize the next round of negotiations on the peace treaty between Armenia and Azerbaijan in Russia as soon as possible,” said the official representative of the Russian Foreign Ministry.