MOSCOW, May 23. /TASS/. Russia sincerely wishes success to Armenia and Azerbaijan in concluding a peace treaty and is ready to continue rendering all possible assistance to the parties in elaborating and signing such a document, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov told a high-level conference on the historical South Russian lands.
"It is necessary to sign a peace treaty between Armenia and Azerbaijan, we sincerely wish them success in this," he noted. "It is clear that the treaty was made possible thanks to several trilateral Russia-Azerbaijan-Armenia summits. We are ready to continue to provide assistance, if both sides are interested."
The Russian foreign minister underscored that the signing of a peace treaty with Azerbaijan is an essential prerequisite for the successful implementation of Armenia's Crossroads of the World initiative. This ambitious project aims to integrate Armenia’s territory and logistical capabilities into broader continental processes. In this context, Lavrov emphasized that "all infrastructure projects should be developed in a way that, as our Chinese friends say, allows thousands and millions of flowers to bloom." However, he also noted that, beyond the peace treaty with Azerbaijan, the normalization of relations between Armenia and Turkey is crucial for realizing these plans.
Lavrov further stressed that "overcoming conflicts and lifting bans on transportation and economic ties imposed as a result of these disputes will substantially enhance the competitiveness of this region and our entire continent."