Russian President Vladimir Putin has stated that the efforts of President Ilham Aliyev and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan have led to a stabilization of relations between the two countries.
Operative Information Center-OMM reports that the Russian head of state made these remarks during a meeting with Armenian Prime Minister Pashinyan in Moscow.
In turn, Pashinyan noted: "Regarding issues related to Garabagh, I have already stated very transparently and openly in the Republic of Armenia that we should not continue the Garabagh movement, because peace has already been established between Armenia and Azerbaijan." According to him, Armenia and Azerbaijan have recognized each other's territorial integrity, political independence, and sovereignty.
The Armenian Prime Minister emphasized that this position is based on the 1991 Almaty Declaration. "This means that we mutually accept that independent Armenia is 100 percent the same as Soviet Armenia, and independent Azerbaijan is 100 percent the same as Soviet Azerbaijan," he stated. Pashinyan described this as a solid foundation for further peace, adding: "I think this is a sufficiently solid foundation for the further development of peace." He also thanked the Russian side for assisting in the normalization process between Baku and Yerevan, acknowledging the significant role played in the negotiations.
The Almaty Declaration, signed in December 1991, serves as a foundational document for the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), where former Soviet republics agreed to recognize and respect each other's territorial integrity and the inviolability of existing borders. In recent years, Azerbaijan has consistently advocated for the normalization of relations based on these international legal principles, emphasizing the reintegration of the Garabagh region as an integral part of Azerbaijan's sovereign territory. The ongoing peace process aims to finalize a formal treaty that would ensure long-term stability and economic cooperation in the South Caucasus region.
