Kremlin confirms Pashinyan's planned April 7 meeting with Putin

YEREVAN, April 2. /ARKA/. Russian President Vladimir Putin's press secretary Dmitry Peskov confirmed reports that Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan will visit Moscow on April 7 for a meeting with Putin.

According to Peskov, Putin and Pashinyan will discuss the situation in Nagorno-Karabakh and the upcoming early parliamentary elections in Armenia, scheduled for June 20.

"Yes, I can confirm. Indeed, Prime Minister Pashinyan's visit to Moscow is scheduled for April 7. He will hold talks with President Vladimir Putin," Peskov was quoted as saying by TASS.

According to the Kremlin spokesman, "first of all, the progress in the implementation of the trilateral agreement, signed by the leaders of Armenia, Azerbaijan and Russia last November 9 that put an end to the hostilities in Karabakh will be discussed."

Peskov added that the two men will also discuss a set of issues related to the reopening of transport infrastructure in the South Caucasus, and will exchange views on the electoral process that began in Armenia.

On January 11, 2021, the Presidents of Russia and Azerbaijan Vladimir Putin and Ilham Aliyev and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan signed a joint statement in Moscow aimed at developing the region and unblocking all transport communications.

They also set up a working group chaired by Mher Grigoryan (Armenia), Alexey Overchuk (Russia) and Shahin Mustafayev (Azerbaijan). It has already had several meetings. One of its tasks is to take stock of international treaties concluded within the CIS and with third countries on the implementation of transportation in the region and ensuring appropriate control.

The rail and road links between Azerbaijan's exclave Nakhichevan and the rest of Azerbaijan are to pass through southeastern Armenian province of Syunik. Armenia is supposed for its part to use Azerbaijani territory as a transit route for cargo shipments to and from Russia. -0-