FM: Fulfillment of trilateral statements vital for regional peace

By Azernews

By Vugar Khalilov

Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov has stated that full implementation of the trilateral statements signed by Armenia, Azerbaijan and Russia is vital for ensuring regional peace, the ministry reported on March 28.

Bayramov made the remarks at a meeting with Stefan Mair, director of the German Institute for International Policy and Security of the Science and Policy Foundation of the Federal Republic of Germany, and institute researchers as a part of his working visit to Germany.

The minister briefed the opposite side about the situation in the region following the 44-day war (2020) and the trilateral statements signed with Armenia, as well as prospects for long-term peace, and Azerbaijan's stance on normalizing Armenia-Azerbaijan relations.

The sides exchanged views on bilateral Azerbaijani-German relations, as well as discussed regional and international issues.

The parties also touched upon the prospects of cooperation between Azerbaijan and the European Union (EU), as well as a strategic partnership in the energy field.

The participants shared views on other areas of mutual concern, such as regional and international security, during the meeting, which was conducted in a Question-and-Answer format.

The trilateral ceasefire deal signed by the Azerbaijani, Russian and Armenian leaders on November 10, 2020, ended the three-decade conflict over Azerbaijan’s Karabakh region which along with the seven adjacent districts came under the occupation of Armenian armed forces in the war in the early 1990s.

The deal also stipulated the return of Azerbaijan's Kalbajar, Aghdam and Lachin regions. Before the signing of the peace deal, Azerbaijan liberated 300 villages, settlements, city centers, and historic Shusha city that had been under Armenian occupation for about 30 years.

On January 11, 2021, the Azerbaijani, Russian and Armenian leaders signed the second statement since the end of the 44-day war. The newly-signed statement was set to implement clause 9 of the November 2020 statement related to the unblocking of all economic and transport communications in the region.

On November 26, 2021, the three leaders signed a statement and agreed on a number of issues, including the demarcation and delimitation of the Azerbaijani-Armenian border by late 2021, some points related to humanitarian issues and the issue of unblocking of transport corridors which applies to the railway and to automobile communications.

On December 14, 2021, during the Brussels meeting, organized between Azerbaijani and Armenian leaders at the initiative of European Council President Charles Michel, the sides reaffirmed their commitment to the conditions agreed in the Sochi meeting.

Both sides agreed to establish a temporary working group on the delimitation of the Armenian-Azerbaijani border.

The issue of demining the liberated territories of Azerbaijan was also brought up on the agenda, and the European Union's readiness to provide technical assistance to Azerbaijan in this regard was underlined at the meeting.