The Armenian Foreign Ministry on Thursday confirmed that an agreement has been reached to hold a meeting between the foreign ministers of Armenia and Azerbaijan.
“As we have reported earlier, there are proposals on meetings, and now also agreements. We will provide updates on the exact timeframe,” Ani Badalyan, the Armenian foreign ministry spokesperson said.
The Russian foreign ministry also confirmed the agreement, with its spokesperson Maria Zakharova telling a press briefing that the date will be announced later.
A similar meeting was scheduled to take place in Moscow in December. Armenia said it would not attend the meeting as its diplomatic focus was on the nascent blockade of the Lachin Corridor, which had already started at the time.
Russia’s Deputy Foreign Mninistr Mikhail Galuzin held separate meetings on Thursday with ambassador of Armenia and Azerbaijan in Russia, Polad Bulbuloglu and Vagharshak Harutyunyan.
Reportedly, the latest developments in the Lachin Corridor and Karabakh were discussed during the meetings.
“The importance of strict compliance with the entire range of agreements reached between the leaders of Russia, Armenia and Azerbaijan in 2020-2022 on the normalization of Armenian-Azerbaijani relations was reaffirmed,” the Russian foreign ministry said in a statement.
In discussing the upcoming meeting between the foreign ministers of Armenia and Azerbaijan, Zakharova said given the agreement attempts by the United States and the European Union, particularly France, to play an “honest mediator” role have failed.
“The attempts of the French and American partners to convince everyone that they are guided solely by the interests of achieving peace in the South Caucasus can be dismissed by their periodic anti-Russian attacks,” said Zakharova.
“Such announcements do not attest to constructive efforts or their claim of being an honest mediator. Such expressions strengthen our sentiments that the real aspirations of Washington and Paris are politicized, and are aimed at undermining Russia’s positions. Caring about the fate of the people living in the region is clearly not included in their plans,” Zakharova added.
Meanwhile, Bayramov, the Azerbaijani foreign minister, on Thursday thanked the United States for its efforts to bring Armenia back to the negotiation table.
Source: Asbarez