Special Representative of the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Russia to promote the normalization of relations between Azerbaijan and Armenia Igor Khovaev is "actively engaged" in that process, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova told a briefing on Wednesday, April 20.

"He has already held useful consultations in Yerevan. His trip to Baku in the near future has been agreed upon," Zakharova said.

"The basis for dialogue are the basic principles for the establishment of international relations between Azerbaijan and Armenia, which were proposed by Baku, and the constructive reaction of Yerevan to these proposals."

Zakharova noted that Russia’s mediation efforts are based on the "indispensable experience" of developing statements by the leaders of Russia, Azerbaijan and Armenia dated November 9, 2020, January 11 and November 26, 2021, which "made it possible to stop the bloodshed in the region and opened up real prospects for solving the complex humanitarian tasks of restoring transport communications and delimiting Armenian-Azerbaijani border."

Khovaev is also Russia's Co-Chair of the OSCE Minsk Group. However, Zakharova said earlier that Washington and Paris curbed all contacts with Moscow within the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairmanship on February 24 – the day Russia unleashed a war against Ukraine.