Russian Foreign Ministry considers unacceptable unilateral steps in Lachin corridor

Baku/24.04.23/Turan: "We express our serious concern about the situation in the area of responsibility of Russian peacekeepers in Nagorno-Karabakh, on the Armenian-Azerbaijani line of contact and in the dialogue between Baku and Yerevan," the Russian Foreign Ministry said in an April 24 comment.

"We note with extreme concern the increase in ceasefire violations and various incidents that regularly result in casualties on both sides. We consider equally dangerous the increased level of accusatory and aggressive rhetoric in the public spheres of Azerbaijan and Armenia.

In the context of the latest developments of 23 April we emphasize the unacceptability of any unilateral steps in violation of the basic provisions of the trilateral statement of the leaders of Russia, Azerbaijan and Armenia dated 9 November 2020, whether it is about the uncoordinated change of the Lachin corridor or about the attempts to use it for purposes contrary to the peaceful agenda," the statement says.

"We urge the parties to return to existing agreements without delay. We believe that in any case the local population should not suffer and no obstacles should be created to their livelihoods.

We believe that many of the problems that have arisen are the result of months of stalling and lack of progress in the negotiation process on the main tracks of the trilateral agreements between the leaders of Russia, Azerbaijan and Armenia, including the unblocking of transport communications in the region, the launch of the Armenian-Azerbaijani border delimitation process and the agreement on the parameters of a peace treaty between Azerbaijan and Armenia. We trust that Baku and Yerevan will demonstrate the political will to overcome this negative dynamic in the near future.

The Russian side is ready to provide all the necessary assistance to Azerbaijan and Armenia, which are close to it, both at the political level and "on the ground" - with the participation of the RPC command.

We also warn external Western players and local Russophobe elements working on their opportunistic agenda from attempts to destabilize the situation, including through a smear campaign against Russia," the commentary says. -02D-