Aliyev credits Russia for "leading" role in normalizing ties with Armenia

PanARMENIAN.Net - Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev told his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin Tuesday, February 22 that Russia has played an "important role in ending the war between Azerbaijan and Armenia", and today it has a leading position in normalizing relations between the two countries.

"The Russian Federation played a very important role in ending the war between Azerbaijan and Armenia and transferring the settlement of the conflict from a hot phase to a political and diplomatic one. The trilateral statement, signed in November 2020 with your active personal participation, just allowed us to resolve this long-term conflict," Aliyev told Putin, according to RIA Novosti.

"Today the situation is new, today the geopolitical realities in the region are accepted by the world community, and Russia also plays a very important role, I would say a leading role in creating opportunities for normalizing relations between Azerbaijan and Armenia, opening transport communications, establishing normal neighborly relations."

Putin said, in turn, that he and Aliyev achieved "certain agreements" on the development of trade and economic ties in Nagorno-Karabakh. He said disputes still remain, but Moscow will do everything so that the settlement process proceeds peacefully.