Russia welcomes the initiatives aimed at lasting peace and good-neighborly relations between Azerbaijan and Armenia, official representative of the Foreign Affairs Ministry of Russia Maria Zakharova said answering the question of Vestnik Kavkaza about whether the Russian Federation will participate as a mediator in the development of a full-fledged peace treaty between Azerbaijan and Armenia, which, according to Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, his country is ready to work on.

“We welcome the initiatives aimed at establishing lasting peace and good-neighborly relations between Baku and Yerevan. The agreements reached by the leaders of Russia, Azerbaijan and Armenia on November 9 last year and January 11 this year are a solid basis for this process. We're ready to provide assistance to these processes. Of course, both Azerbaijan and Armenia are only at the beginning of a difficult path towards establishing the necessary level of mutual trust, normalizing bilateral relations," Zakharova said.

She also noted that this initiative should be accompanied by a positive background, including in the media space. "There are many difficulties and obstacles to overcome in building cooperation with our Azerbaijani and Armenian friends. We emphasize that the stable economic development of the South Caucasus meets the interests of all Russia's partners in this region," the diplomat said.

According to her, the Russian side expects that in practical matters both sides will strive for steps aimed at normalizing relations, creating an atmosphere of trust, and not new dividing lines.

Source - vestnikkavkaza.net

16 April 2021 / 14:42