Russia calls for Azerbaijan-Armenia peace treaty as key to South Caucasus security

Spokesperson for the Russian Foreign Ministry Maria Zakharova has stated that Russia views the signing of a peace treaty between Azerbaijan and Armenia as a crucial step for ensuring security in the South Caucasus.

"We hope for a swift resolution of remaining disagreements and successful progress on other fronts of normalizing Azerbaijani-Armenian relations in line with the trilateral agreements at the highest level. The fate and future of the South Caucasus should be determined solely by the countries of the region and neighbouring partner states. No one from outside will bring peace and prosperity to our common home," Zakharova said at a briefing on July 24, Caliber.Az reports.

Zakharova also expressed gratitude to Kazakhstan for its role in facilitating dialogue between Baku and Yerevan. "We welcome the efforts of our Kazakh partners, who initiated and organized a productive meeting between the foreign ministers of Azerbaijan and Armenia on May 10-11 of this year in Almaty," she said. "We view the conclusion of a balanced peace treaty between our two allies as an indispensable prerequisite for establishing a framework of indivisible security and sustainable socio-economic development in the region."

Furthermore, Zakharova noted Russia's willingness to support the negotiation process. "Russia is ready to provide a venue for negotiations between Azerbaijan and Armenia in a preferred bilateral format for the parties," she added.

Relations between Baku and Yerevan have been strained since 1991, when Armenian forces occupied Karabakh, a region internationally recognized as part of Azerbaijan, along with seven surrounding areas.

Azerbaijan reclaimed most of this territory during a 44-day conflict in the fall of 2020. The war concluded with a Russian-brokered peace deal that paved the way for normalization and the demarcation of their border.

In September of the previous year, Azerbaijan asserted full sovereignty over Karabakh following the surrender of separatist forces in the region.