Zakharova again blames West and Armenia for stalling Armenian-Russian-Azerbaijani group

YEREVAN, March 27. /ARKA/. Cooperation in the trilateral (Armenian-Azerbaijani-Russian) group set up to oversee the reopening of transportation and economic ties in the South Caucasus has stalled due to the destructive influence of Western countries and Armenia's position, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova claimed today.

“We are confident that the early resumption of full-fledged interaction in the mentioned group will not only contribute to the restoration of the transport and logistics system of the South Caucasus, allowing it to fit into larger schemes of cargo transportation from Europe to Asia and back, but will also ensure further socio-economic development of both Armenia and the entire region as a whole,” Zakharova said at a press briefing.

According to her, if official Yerevan's position has changed, it is its sovereign right and "then it would probably be more correct if they declared it at the appropriate level."

Zakharoiva's allegations come after Armenian National Assembly on Wednesday approved in the second and final reading a government-backed bill declaring the “start of a process of Armenia's accession to the European Union.”

The bill, formally approved by the government in early January, was drafted by several pro-Western groups, mostly loyal to Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan. Last year, they collected 60,000 signatures in support of their demands for a referendum on EU membership.

PM Nikol Pashinyan has said the referendum should only be held after Yerevan and the EU have developed a “roadmap” for Armenia’s accession to the bloc.-0-