Armenia fails to fulfil obligations to normalise relations: Azerbaijan

Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov has said that Armenia continues to fail in fulfilling its obligations to normalise bilateral ties.

“Armenia continues to fail to fulfil its obligations in all three main areas of interstate normalisation, that is, the signing of a peace treaty, the delimitation of borders and the opening of regional communications,” Bayramov said at the foreign ministers meeting of the EU's European Partnership initiative in the Belgian capital Brussels on Monday.

Bayramov said that the progress achieved in bilateral talks remains limited despite their increasing dynamism.

“Armenia still has not completely removed its illegal armed groups from the territory of Azerbaijan. Likewise, Armenia artificially delays the re-establishment of communication links and renounces the establishment of unimpeded communication between Azerbaijan and the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic,” Bayramov added.

Saying that the next stage of negotiations between Baku and Yerevan will take place in the coming weeks, Bayramov noted: "Bilateral negotiations have started on the text of the peace treaty, which will be one of the important outcomes of the Brussels meeting on August 31.”

Bayramov also commented on the topic of ethnic Armenians living in Azerbaijan, saying that Baku intends to reintegrate citizens of Armenian origin living in liberated lands into society by ensuring they have “the same rights and freedoms as all Azerbaijani citizens.”

“The role of certain third parties in promoting Armenia's vengeful behaviour is also of serious concern, as it encourages Armenia to intensify its military provocations and belligerent rhetoric,” he added.

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Putin talks to Aliyev, Pashinyan

During two separate phone calls on Monday, Russian President Vladimir Putin discussed the implementation of trilateral agreements with Azerbaijan and Armenia.

“As a follow-up to the conversation between Vladimir Putin and Nikol Pashinyan, which took place on December 9 in Bishkek as part of the meeting of the Supreme Eurasian Economic Council, discussions continued on the implementation of the fundamental agreements between the leaders of Russia, Armenia, and Azerbaijan,” a Kremlin statement said.

The statement further said that particular attention was paid to “ensuring security on the Armenian-Azerbaijani border, as well as projects to restore transport, logistics and trade and economic ties in the South Caucasus.”

With regards to the Aliyev-Putin call that took place before the call with Pashinyan, “Some practical aspects of the implementation of the agreements between the leaders of Russia, Azerbaijan and Armenia dated November 9, 2020, January 11 and November 26, 2021, and October 31, 2022, were discussed, including plans to restore economic and logistical ties in the South Caucasus,” a separate Kremlin statement said.

Both leaders also agreed to continue their contacts, the statement added.

Putin and Aliyev previously discussed similar issues during a phone call on November 26.

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