CIS welcomes Azerbaijan-Armenia declarations as step toward peace

The Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) has expressed hope that the recent agreements signed in Washington between Armenia and Azerbaijan will lay the groundwork for a lasting peace deal, CIS Secretary General Sergei Lebedev said ahead of the upcoming meeting of the Council of Permanent Representatives.

Lebedev noted that, similar to the “CIS’s positive reception” of the intergovernmental border agreement between Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan, the organisation warmly welcomes the signing of the joint declaration between Armenia and Azerbaijan. He described it as an important step toward resolving disagreements and achieving a sustainable peace agreement between the two countries, Caliber.Az reports per TASS. 

The Secretary General also suggested that a "peace agreement would enable the highest CIS bodies to hold sessions more fully on the territories of Armenia and Azerbaijan." He expressed hope that "both republics would be able to take a more active role in the activities of the Commonwealth."

The Washington summit on August 8, hosted by US President Donald Trump, brought together Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan. The summit resulted in the signing of a joint declaration and the initialing of a draft peace agreement by the foreign ministers of both countries, with Trump, Aliyev, and Pashinyan as witnesses.

A key element of the agreement involves the establishment of a transit route, dubbed the “Trump Route,” through Armenia’s Syunik province. The route will connect mainland Azerbaijan to its exclave, Nakhchivan, facilitating both domestic and international transport while maintaining the sovereignty of both nations.

By Sabina Mammadli