Deputy FM: Russia ready to support Baku-Yerevan reconciliation

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Galuzin has said that Moscow reaffirms its readiness to support reconciliation between Yerevan and Baku.

According to the deputy minister, the Russian side positively assesses the meeting of Armenian and Azerbaijani Foreign Ministers Ararat Mirzoyan and Jeyhun Bayramov held in Kazakhstan on 10-11 May to work out a peace agreement, TASS reports.

"Its holding gave the parties an opportunity to move towards peace and stability in the South Caucasus. Another important step in this direction has been made," Galuzin emphasised.

“Moscow has already hosted rounds of peace talks between Baku and Yerevan twice - in May and July 2023. We are ready to continue to provide full support to the reconciliation of the two brotherly peoples of Russia, to promote the search for mutually acceptable and balanced solutions in order to ensure security and prosperity of all countries in the region,” the diplomat said.

Moreover, talking about the current relations between Russia and Armenia, Galuzin said that Armenia ceased to show interest in contacts with Russia through the Foreign Ministry and Defence Ministry, which is the result of Western pressure.

"There have been no meetings of foreign ministers since November 2023. The partners have not shown interest in our proposal to develop and conclude a regular plan of inter-ministerial consultations. It is not our fault that the dynamics of contacts in the defence sector has noticeably decreased. Military-technical cooperation has also sagged. We see this as a result of pressure from Westerners, who are trying to force Yerevan to minimise ties with our country," the deputy minister said.

"Nevertheless, we expect that the publicly voiced mood of the Armenian authorities to work on the elimination of problematic moments and irritants will acquire practical implementation. We are ready for it," Galuzin emphasised.