Azerbaijan, Armenia agree to work toward peace treaty- statement

YEREVAN, November 1 /ARKA/. A statement issued following the meeting of Russian and Azerbaijani presidents Vladimir Putin and Ilham Aliyev and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan October 31 in Russian Sochi has been made public. ARKA news agency quotes in full the text of the document placed on the official website of the Russian President.

"We, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev, Prime Minister of the Republic of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan and President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin, met in Sochi on October 31, 2022 and discussed the implementation of the trilateral statements of November 9, 2020, January 11 and November 26, 2021.

We confirmed our commitment to comply strictly with all of these agreements in the interests of comprehensive normalization of Azerbaijani-Armenian relations and ensuring peace, stability, security and sustainable economic development in the South Caucasus. We agreed to make additional efforts to resolve outstanding tasks immediately, including humanitarian issues.

Noting the key contribution of the Russian peacekeeping contingent in ensuring security in its zone of deployment, the need for its efforts to stabilize the situation in the region was emphasized.

Azerbaijan and Armenia agreed to refrain from use or threat of force, discuss and solve all problematic issues exclusively on the basis of mutual recognition of sovereignty, territorial integrity and inviolability of borders in accordance with the UN Charter and the Almaty Declaration of 1991.

We stressed the importance of active preparation for the conclusion of a peace treaty between the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Republic of Armenia in order to achieve sustainable and lasting peace in the region.

On the basis of existing achievements, it was agreed to continue the search for mutually acceptable solutions. The Russian Federation will provide all possible assistance to this.

The importance of establishing a positive atmosphere between the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Republic of Armenia was stressed to continue the dialogue between the public, experts and religious leaders with Russian assistance, and launching trilateral inter-parliamentary contacts to strengthen trust between the peoples of the two countries.

The leaders of the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Republic of Armenia welcomed the willingness of the Russian Federation to continue to contribute to the normalization of relations between the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Republic of Armenia and to ensure stability and prosperity in the South Caucasus. -0-