Russia stands ready to facilitate the signing of a peace treaty between Armenia and Azerbaijan, and could host relevant talks in Moscow, Russian President Vladimir Putin said, TASS reports.
"On the agenda is the drafting of a peace treaty [between Baku and Yerevan] to finally put an end to this longstanding conflict. The Russian side is certainly ready to provide our partners with all possible assistance in this regard," the Russian president said in a limited circle of high officials at a meeting of the Council of Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) Heads of State, which is currently convening in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan.
"In particular, we also agree with the [possibility of] organizing negotiations in Moscow, if necessary, in any format," Putin added. According to the Russian head of state, such negotiations would include talks between the foreign ministers of Armenia and Azerbaijan and relevant experts from the two sides. "Of course, we would make a contribution toward ensuring that these negotiations would end with the achievement of a peace agreement to be signed by the leaders of these countries," the Russian president emphasized.
"I reiterate: The choice always lies with the relevant country. We are ready to create the necessary conditions for this work," he added.
Putin also noted that, over the past three years, the Russian side has made significant efforts to prevent the escalation of the conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh and to bring hostilities to an end. "All this time, painstaking work has been carried out in the trilateral format of Russia-Azerbaijan-Armenia aimed at normalizing relations between the two capitals, Baku and Yerevan," the Russian president emphasized. In addition, Russian peacekeepers have conscientiously carried out their mission within the limits of their authority, Putin added.
