Austria welcomes Azerbaijan-Armenia joint statement on normalisation

The Foreign Ministry of Austria has welcomed the joint statement by Armenia and Azerbaijan.

“We welcome the joint statement by Armenia and Azerbaijan on their intention to normalize relations and to reach a peace treaty It would be a boost to stability, security, and prosperity of the whole South Caucasus. We stand ready, together with the EU, to support these efforts,” the ministry made a post on its X account, APA reports.

On December 7, the Azerbaijani Presidential Administration and the Office of the Armenian Prime Minister Armenia released a joint statement, saying that the two countries “share the view that there is a historical chance to achieve a long-awaited peace in the region. Two countries reconfirm their intention to normalize relations and to reach a peace treaty based on respect for the principles of sovereignty and territorial integrity.”

Following the talks between the Azerbaijani Presidential Administration and the Office of the Armenian Prime Minister, an agreement has been reached on taking tangible steps towards building confidence between the two countries.

Moreover, an agreement has been reached to release 32 individuals of Armenian origin by Azerbaijan and two Azerbaijani servicemen by Armenia as a sign of goodwill and humanism, the statement said.

The 32 individuals destined for return to Armenia, 26 of whom were arrested during anti-terror measures in the Hadrut direction in December 2020, with the remaining six detained at the border on different occasions, have already served the majority of their sentences.

The agreement has been reached through direct negotiations between the Azerbaijani Presidential Administration and the Office of the Armenian Prime Minister with no involvement of the third country.