Russian Foreign Ministry: Problems of the South Caucasus must be resolved without outside interference

Key problems of the South Caucasus must be resolved by the states of the region themselves and their immediate neighbours, without interference or prescriptions imposed from outside, Mikhail Kalugin, Director of the Fourth CIS Department at the Russian Foreign Ministry, said in an interview with RIA Novosti.

The diplomat emphasized that the "3+3" Regional Cooperation Platform—which brings together Azerbaijan, Armenia, Georgia, as well as Russia, Iran, and Turkey—has enormous potential for ensuring stability and economic development.

"It is entirely logical that a region positioning itself as an important link in the Eurasian transport network should take charge of ensuring its own stability and development. This can be achieved through cooperation between the countries of the South Caucasus and their immediate neighbours in accordance with the principle of ՛՛regional responsibility՛՛—addressing key problems together without outside prescriptions," Kalugin told the agency.

According to him, the Platform’s main advantage lies in its unifying agenda across practical areas such as transport, logistics, energy, telecommunications, culture, and education.

The diplomat also confirmed that the doors of this format remain open for Tbilisi.

He added that Armenia and Azerbaijan should determine the venue for the next meeting of the Foreign Ministers of the "3+3" Regional Cooperation Platform.