Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov and his Armenian and Russian counterparts Ararat Mirzoyan and Sergey Lavrov respectively have discussed the process of normalization of relations between Baku and Yerevan, Azernews reports per the Foreign Ministry. The ministers came together on the sidelines of the CIS Council of Foreign Ministers’ meeting in Dushanbe, the report added.
“The sides exchanged views on the normalization of relations between Azerbaijan and Armenia, including the start of the delimitation process of the state border, the opening of all transport and communication lines, the conclusion of a peace agreement between the two countries,” the ministry said.
At the meeting, the ministers also touched upon the situation in the region as well as problems pertaining to the implementation of November 10, 2022, trilateral statements, signed between Azerbaijan, Armenia, and Russia following the 44-day second Karabakh war in 2020, the ministry added.
The top diplomats emphasized that the implementation of the agreements is vital for ensuring regional peace and security.
In his opening remarks, Jeyhun Bayramov stressed that this meeting “is a good opportunity to discuss the progress that can be achieved”. At the same time, he expressed regret due to the fact that so far there are no proper improvements in the opening of transport communications in the region, Azernews reports, citing TASS agency.
“I know that contacts between the colleagues continue. And we believe that there is a good prospect, a good opportunity to achieve results and achieve the implementation of the tripartite statements in full. Recently, we have had quite intensive contacts in terms of launching the process of delimitation of the state border. I believe that there are good developments, and understanding in terms of the composition and representativeness of the parties in the commission on delimitation issues, and I also believe that in the near future, it will be possible, at least, to launch this process,” Bayramov underlined.
Bayramov noted that Baku, for its part, is ready to begin work on a peace treaty and the meeting of ministers and the maintaining of contacts between the parties will have a positive impact on the continuation of the discussion on the topic.
Mirzoyan claimed that Yerevan remains committed to the implementation of all statements and agreements reached between the leaders of the three countries.
“We are ready to continue all work on the current formats: on opening communications of economic infrastructures in the region, and on a peace treaty, or, as it is probably more correct to call it, an agreement on the normalization of relations, the establishment of relations, and on the solution of all remaining problems, including humanitarian ones, the release of prisoners of war and other issues that remain unresolved,” he said.
In his turn, the Russian foreign minister said that “we are interested in turning the South Caucasus into a zone of peace, sustainable development, and prosperity,” adding that it is important for Moscow to increase trust between the parties while creating conditions for the full normalization of the Armenian-Azerbaijani relations.
“I hope that today’s meeting will make it possible to move forward along the path that was outlined by our leaders,” Lavrov stressed.
In the meantime, reports are there that Moscow is to host the first meeting of the Azerbaijan-Armenian border delimitation commissions on 16-17 May.
Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, and European Council President Charles Michel met in a trilateral format in Brussels on April 6. The meeting was held for a continuation of the discussions on the situation in the South Caucasus region and the development of EU relations with both countries.
At the April 6 meeting, though Azerbaijan and Armenia agreed to convene a Joint Border Commission meeting by the end of April, Armenia failed to live up to the agreement. The Joint Border Commission’s mandate will be to: delimit the bilateral border between Armenia and Azerbaijan, and ensure a stable security situation along and in the vicinity of the borderline. – Azer News
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