Baku and Yerevan still have much to do, including completing fair border delimitation and demarcation, says Zakharova

Russian Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Maria Zakharova said during a press briefing that Russia’s unwavering priority in the South Caucasus is to strengthen peace and stability.

Zakharova stated that Russia has always advocated that the long-awaited reconciliation between Baku and Yerevan be of a sustainable nature: it is an integral part of the entire region. According to Zakharova, the current phase of Armenia-Azerbaijan relations normalization began with active Russian mediation. She stated that the trilateral agreements reached have, literally, halted bloodshed and outlined the main directions of the peace process. Zakharova noted that Russia welcomes the progress in the peace process between Armenia and Azerbaijan.

This is, in particular, about resolving the remaining differences, signing a peace agreement. The parties must also complete the process of border delimitation and demarcation on a fair basis, unblock transport communications and do so in a way that benefits both sides and major political and economic partners in the region. According to Zakharova, the regional 3+3 format is a good fit for the normalization of Armenian-Azerbaijani relations, as well as for discussing other regional issues.