3rd 3+3 meeting on South Caucasus in preparation, venue being decided, Lavrov says

The third meeting of the 3+3 format on the South Caucasus—comprising Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, and their three neighbors, Russia, Turkey, and Iran—at the foreign ministers’ level is currently in the preparation and venue-selection stage. The door remains open for Georgia, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov told Turkish media, as reported by TASS.

“Two ministerial meetings have already taken place, and the third is being prepared. Our Georgian neighbors are currently abstaining from participation, but we continuously state that the door is open for them,” Lavrov said.

The head of Russia’s diplomatic mission added that his Turkish counterpart, Hakan Fidan, “actively supports holding the third ministerial meeting.”

“The venue is being decided. I hope clarity will be provided soon,” Lavrov said. “We are common neighbors in the South Caucasus.”

Russia’s foreign minister noted that Turkey and Azerbaijan were the main initiators of the 3+3 format.