Russian MFA: Moscow is ready to provide all necessary assistance in unblocking regional communications

Yerevan’s initiative resonates in many ways with the projects that have already been discussed in recent years as part of the trilateral working group co-chaired by the Deputy Prime Ministers of Russia, Armenia and Azerbaijan, Spokesperson of the Russian Foreign Ministry Maria Zakharova said at a press briefing on Thursday, answering the question about Russia’s assessment of Pashinyan’s ‘Crossroads of Peace’ project.

Zakharova elaborated on the activities of the trilateral working group.

“The group is engaged in unblocking economic and transport communications in the region. This process plays a crucial role in the normalization of relations between Baku and Yerevan and contributes to the stabilization and unlocking of the transit logistics potential of the entire South Caucasus. The leaders of the three countries decided to create a trilateral working group just a few months after the end of hostilities in Karabakh in the fall of 2020,” Zakharova said.

According to her, 12 meetings have been convened, and a lot of work has been done to assess the current state of the regional logistics infrastructure and to select the best-fit projects for railway and road communications.

“We managed to come close to a comprehensive solution that is beneficial to all parties. Unfortunately, it has not yet been possible to put an end to these issues; some people simply do not have the political will to do it, and it is not us.

We are still ready to provide all necessary assistance regarding unblocking regional communications, including under the provisions of the trilateral summit statements of November 9, 2020, and January 11, 2021. These provisions clearly state the role of Russia,” Zakharova concluded.