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Humanitarian contacts contribute to confidence-building between Baku and Yerevan - Russian MFA

23 June 2022 19:13 (UTC +04:00)

Helping to normalize relations between Azerbaijan and Armenia is one of Russia's foreign policy priorities, said the Russian Foreign Ministry in connection with Sergey Lavrov's working visit to Azerbaijan, APA's Moscow correspondent reports.

The Russian MFA noted that one of Moscow's foreign policy priorities is to help normalize relations between Azerbaijan and Armenia in accordance with the tripartite agreements of November 9, 2020, January 11 and November 26, 2021: "We see this as a key condition for ensuring peace and stability in the South Caucasus, restoring trust and full-fledged cooperation between Baku and Yerevan.

Russia's peacekeeping contingent reliably monitors compliance with the ceasefire and contributes to security in its area of responsibility. The peacekeepers are helping to return refugees, establish a peaceful life, clear landmines, and exchange prisoners of war and detainees.

The most important direction of Russia's efforts is to open transport communications and economic ties in the region. Within the framework of the Tripartite Working Group, co-chaired by the Deputy Prime Ministers, together with partners from Azerbaijan and Armenia, we are working to agree on a package of specific infrastructure projects that will enable the establishment of rail and road links and stimulate the resumption of ties.

We welcome the first meeting of the bilateral commission on the delimitation of the Azerbaijani-Armenian state border, which took place on May 24 this year. The start of the delimitation process is aimed at contributing to the prevention of border incidents and the establishment of good neighborly relations between Azerbaijan and Armenia as a result of the demarcation of the interstate border line. Russia will provide the necessary advisory assistance at the request of the parties.

The preparation of a peace agreement between Azerbaijan and Armenia aims to strengthen the basic principles of relations and lay the foundations for mutually beneficial cooperation in the long run. Russia will do its utmost to support this difficult but extremely important process in the interests of strengthening peace and security in the South Caucasus.

Humanitarian contacts contribute to building trust between Baku and Yerevan. Russia will continue to support dialogue through civil society and expert circles aimed at normalizing Azerbaijani-Armenian relations.

We assess the forthcoming visit in the context of continuing the reliable Russian-Azerbaijani political dialogue and further expanding mutually beneficial cooperation."