Russia urges Armenia and Azerbaijan to regulate territorial disputes within framework of bilateral commission on border delimitation

YEREVAN, April 3. /ARKA/. All territorial disputes and reciprocal claims between Armenia and Azerbaijan should be settled within the framework of the bilateral commission on delimitation of the state border, Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova said on Wednesday.

"We believe that the time has come to restore the rhythmic work of trilateral mechanisms. We urge our partners to resume the formats that have proved their effectiveness and in which the search for solutions to the most difficult issues was launched with the assistance of the Russian Federation," Zakharova said during a press briefing on Wednesday.

Azerbaijan refuses to admit that it has occupied parts of 31 settlements in Armenia and at the same time demands the transfer of territories located near 4 villages in Armenian province of Tavush. The interstate highway to Georgia passes through these territories.

On March 12, PM Nikol Pashinyan said that "there has never been and cannot be any discussion about surrendering the villages in Tavush region to Azerbaijan". On March 18, he went to meet with residents of these villages and told them if they are not returned to Azerbaijan there will be war. -0-