Several countries welcomed approval of draft peace treaty by Armenia and Azerbaijan

YEREVAN, March 14. /ARKA/. The foreign ministries of a number of countries welcomed the finalizing of the negotiations around the peace treaty by Armenia and Azerbaijan.

France

"France welcomes the announcement of the successful completion of the negotiations on the peace treaty between Armenia and Azerbaijan and hopes for its early signing," the French Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

The French Foreign Ministry also noted that the normalization of relations between Armenia and Azerbaijan, while respecting the territorial integrity and sovereignty of both states, should allow the South Caucasus to become a zone of peace, integration and cooperation with open borders for the benefit of the region's population.

Spain

The Spanish Foreign Ministry welcomed the news of the agreement between Armenia and Azerbaijan and hopes that it will lead to the conclusion of a final agreement between the two countries.

"Spain reaffirms its commitment to peace and stability in the South Caucasus," the Foreign Ministry noted.

Estonia

A similar statement was made by Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna.

"Estonia welcomes the historic agreement between Armenia and Azerbaijan. This is a long-awaited step towards achieving peace and stability in the region, and we hope for the peace treaty to be signed soon," Tsahkna wrote on his X page.

Iran

The Iranian Foreign Ministry also welcomed the announcement of the agreement between Armenia and Azerbaijan.

"This is a necessary and important step towards achieving lasting peace in the South Caucasus region," said Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei.

He expressed hope that "thanks to the efforts of the parties to resolve differences through dialogue and diplomacy, we will soon witness the signing of a peace agreement between the two countries and the establishment of lasting peace and stability in the region."

Germany

German Foreign Minister Analena Baerbock called the news of an agreement between Armenia and Azerbaijan on a peace treaty encouraging.

"The fact that after decades of hostility and war, sustainable peace can now become a reality is important for the region and beyond. After long negotiations, Armenia is making bold concessions, making this final step on the path we have accompanied both countries possible," she said.

Austria

The Austrian Foreign Ministry also welcomed the progress made towards peace between Armenia and Azerbaijan and expressed hope for a peace treaty to be signed soon.

"A comprehensive and fair agreement will undoubtedly strengthen stability, security and prosperity in the entire region," the statement said.

On March 13, Armenian Foreign Ministry confirmed that Yerevan and Baku have finalized talks on the draft agreement on establishment of peace and interstate relations between Armenia and Azerbaijan, saying also that Armenia is ready for signing it and Yerevan is ready to begin consultations with Baku on the timing and place of its signing. Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said on March 13 that the current content of the draft peace treaty with Azerbaijan can be considered an acceptable option for Armenia for mutual concessions. According to him, the two points of the draft treaty, on which the parties could not come to an agreement for some time and on which they reached a compromise, concern the non-deployment of third-country forces along the entire length of the Armenian-Azerbaijani border, as well as the mutual withdrawal of claims made against each other in international courts and the non-fulfillment of actions against each other. These same two disagreements were previously pointed out by Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev. -0-