The Pashinyan-Aliyev meeting took place in Brussels
Today, the meeting between Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev took place in Brussels, through the mediation of EU Council President Charles Michel.
Issues related to the release of POWs and the clarification of the fate of the missing, border demarcation and border security, regional de-blockade, the regulation of Armenia-Azerbaijan relations, and the Nagorno Karabakh problem were discussed.
An agreement was reached at the level of foreign ministers to continue substantive negotiations on the drafting of a peace treaty. The meeting of foreign ministers will take place within a month.
The next meeting of the Committee on Deregulation and Border Security will take place in Brussels in November.
The President of the European Council, Charles Michel, made a statement at the end of the tripartite meeting with Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev in Brussels.
Michel noted the importance of the release of Armenian POWs by Azerbaijan. The EU president promised that the EU will continue to deal with this issue. Among the issues discussed, Michel singled out the progress made in the discussions on border demarcation and unblocking of transport links.
According to him, the parties have agreed to make objective efforts to move forward in the direction of the peace treaty regulating the interstate relations of the two countries.
The EU President reaffirmed the EU’s readiness to further support the establishment of long-term sustainable peace. Charles Michel said that the EU will continue to make efforts to promote economic development for the benefit of both countries and their populations.
Lavrov claims the trilateral working group significantly progressed in reaching agreements
The trilateral working group (Russia, Armenia, and Azerbaijan deputy prime ministerial) on unblocking connections in the South Caucasus has significantly progressed in reaching agreements, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said at a joint press conference with Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian.
“The trilateral group with the participation of the deputy prime ministers of Russia, Armenia, and Azerbaijan is dealing with unblocking of connections in South Caucasus. It is working rhythmically, parallel with the meetings on border delimitation. The latest contacts were held very recently. The parties have significantly progressed in reaching agreements,” Lavrov said.
Lavrov expressed hope that the agreements will be formulated very soon.
Later, Maria Zakharova, the official representative of the Russian Foreign Ministry stated that Russia, together with Baku and Yerevan, is focused on the implementation of all provisions of the tripartite agreements at the highest level.
Traffic from Artsakh to Armenia and in the opposite direction is already carried out on an alternative route, bypassing Berdzor
The new Stepanakert-Goris route, which starts from the intersection of the Berdadzor sub-district of the Shushi region, is in operation from 20:00 on August 30.
Russian peacekeepers are deployed along the road. Traffic policemen of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and rescuers of the State Service of the Republic of Artsakh are also performing an enhanced service here, monitoring the safe exit of citizens.
In the final observations of the UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, cases of gross violations of human rights committed by Azerbaijan were recorded
Gegham Stepanyan, the Human Rights Defender of Artsakh issued a statement, noting with satisfaction that the final observations of the UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination regarding the fulfillment of the obligations undertaken by Azerbaijan under the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination include the cases of gross human rights violations committed by Azerbaijan during and after the aggression against Artsakh in 2020.
Other News
- Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan addressed a congratulatory message to India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the occasion of the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Armenia and India, the PM’s Office said.
- The United States urges Armenia and Azerbaijan to intensify their diplomatic engagement and achieve a comprehensive peace agreement, Vedant Patel, Principal Deputy Spokesperson at the Department of State, said at a press briefing.
