Russian, Iranian foreign ministers discussed 3+3 initiative
YEREVAN, October 6. /ARKA/. Following talks with Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian in Moscow on Wednesday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov told a press conference that he and his Iranian counterpart discussed the initiative to create the "3+3" negotiation format with Azerbaijan, Armenia, Georgia and Turkey on reopening economic and transport links in the region, Russian news agency TASS said.
Lavrov pointed out Moscow’s decisive role in stopping the war in Nagorno-Karabakh last autumn and concluding a trilateral agreement signed by the leaders of Azerbaijan, the Russian Federation and Armenia, which made it possible the deployment of a Russian peacekeeping contingent n the region.
"In addition, the same joint statement contained principles that determine joint steps to advance the conflict settlement, including work to unblock all transport communications, all economic ties in the region, which will benefit not only Armenia and Azerbaijan, but also Georgia. Iran, Russia and Turkey, as the closest neighbors of these three countries, will also benefit," Lavrov said
"Today we discussed the initiative to create the "3+3" format with three South Caucasian countries and their three large neighbors – Russia, Iran and Turkey ".
According to Lavrov, the Iranian side expressed a positive attitude towards this idea, the same attitude was signaled by Azerbaijan and Turkey.
“We are working with our Armenian colleagues. We hope that Georgia, despite all the problems it is experiencing, will be able to see its fundamental interest in creating such a mechanism of consultations and agreeing on solutions for the accelerated development of this region, which has been holding back its development for a long time due to the persisting conflicts," Lavrov said.
On September 27, 2020, Azerbaijani armed forces, backed by Turkey and foreign mercenaries and terrorists, attacked Nagorno-Karabakh along the entire front line using rocket and artillery weapons, heavy armored vehicles, military aircraft and prohibited types of weapons such as cluster bombs and phosphorus weapons.
After 44 days of the war, on November 9, the leaders of Russia, Azerbaijan and Armenia signed a statement on the cessation of all hostilities. According to the document, the town of Shushi, the districts of Agdam, Kelbajar and Lachin were handed over to Azerbaijan, with the exception of a 5-kilometer corridor connecting Karabakh with Armenia.
A Russian peacekeeping contingent was deployed along the contact line in Karabakh and along the Lachin corridor. -0-
