Yerevan confirms Russia no longer mediating Armenia-Azerbaijan peace talks

Armenia and Azerbaijan are now engaged in direct negotiations over a long-awaited peace agreement, with Russia no longer serving as a mediator, Armenian Security Council Secretary Armen Grigoryan announced on May 8 during a briefing at Victory Park in Yerevan.

“Russia has already played its role as a mediator…We now believe that direct talks with Azerbaijan are more productive,” he noted, Caliber.Az reports via foreign media. 

On March 13, the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry issued a statement on the completion of negotiations on the text of the draft Agreement on Establishment of Peace and Interstate Relations between Baku and Yerevan. The last two points agreed upon were related to the non-deployment of third-party forces along the common border and a mutual waiver of claims in international courts. 

On the Armenian side, the Armenian Foreign Ministry confirmed that Armenia had accepted Azerbaijan’s proposals on the two remaining disputed issues. This development signals that the peace agreement is now ready for formal signing.

Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov also confirmed that both countries had agreed on the terms of the draft treaty and reiterated Azerbaijan’s commitment to advancing peace and stability efforts in the South Caucasus.

By Sabina Mammadli