Russian MFA: rushed peace treaty between Baku and Yerevan could spark new conflicts

04 August 2023

Denis Gonchar, the Director of the Fourth Department of CIS countries at the Russian Foreign Ministry, has cautioned against the hasty conclusion of a peace treaty between Azerbaijan and Armenia without adequate preparation and quality consideration. In an interview with TASS, he emphasized that such a rushed approach could lead to future conflicts.

 

"A hastily crafted and rudimentary peace treaty will fail to establish lasting peace in the region. Instead, it will set the stage for new conflicts and tragedies down the line. The focus should not be on speed, but rather on the thorough preparation of well-balanced and mutually agreeable solutions," the diplomat stressed.

 

In this context, he highlighted the pattern of Western capitals occasionally making assertions about the potential for Baku and Yerevan to conclude a peace treaty "in the near weeks or months." Gonchar emphasized that Russia's stance rests on the principle that the terms of signing should be determined by the parties themselves. "The role of responsible mediators is not to push the negotiation process based on short-term considerations, but to facilitate the establishment of robust, enduring agreements. These agreements must be grounded in the existing realities on the ground, primarily the Russian-Armenian-Azerbaijani statements at the highest level and the mechanisms established on that foundation," concluded the director of the fourth department of CIS countries at the Russian foreign ministry.

 

 

GSV "Russia - Islamic world"

Photo: Russian Foreign Ministry

Based on materials from TASS