Russian foreign minister Sergey Lavrov with his Azerbaijani counterpart Jeyhun Bayramov in Moscow on Dec. 5
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and his Azerbaijani counterpart, Jeyhun Bayramov, have confirmed the need to increase efforts to normalize relations between Azerbaijan and Armenia when they met in Moscow on Tuesday.
“In the context of the debate on regional issues, the need was confirmed to increase efforts to normalize relations between Azerbaijan and Armenia on the basis of tripartite agreements which were adopted in 2020-2022 at a high level,” a statement from the Russian Foreign Ministry said.
“Further joint steps regarding the implementation of the provisions of the declaration on allied cooperation between the Russian Federation and the Republic of Azerbaijan of February 22, 2022 were discussed,” the Russian foreign ministry statement added.
The Lavrov-Bayramov meeting took place on the margins of a summit of Caspian Littoral States foreign ministers being held in Moscow.
Bayramov later said that Baku, as the main initiator of the peace process with Yerevan, is interested in the establishment of peace and stability in the region. He asserted that “the conditions have been created” for an agreement on a peace treaty.
Bayramov also said that Baku is in favor of the activation of negotiations on border demarcation between Azerbaijan and Armenia, which is considered one of the directions of settlement.
Ahead of his meeting with Bayramov, Lavrov hailed the so-called “3+3” regional scheme advance by Ankara and Baku and backed by Moscow. The plan envisions open borders between Armenia, Azerbaijan, Russia, Turkey, Georgia and Iran as a regional platform.
“This initiative by [Azerbaijani President] Ilham Aliyev, the so-called ‘3+3’ regional platform of the three South Caucasus countries and their three neighbors, is starting to get flesh and bones. It is a prospective format,” Lavrov told Bayramov ahead of their meeting.
Georgia has said it will not take part in the scheme. The foreign ministers of the remaining countries in the so-called platform met in Tehran recently to discuss issues related to the plan.
