MOSCOW, November 1. /TASS/. The results of Monday’s trilateral talks in Sochi by Azerbaijan, Armenia and Russia give hope for a faster solution of some problems, in particular, the process of border delimitation and unblocking of transport arteries, the general director of the Russian International Affairs Council, Andrey Kortunov, told TASS.
"I would like to hope that these negotiations will be able to promote the solution of at least some problems: that it will be possible to speed up the process of border demarcation and delimitation and this issue may be closed, that it will be possible to agree on unblocking transport arteries, and to start working on some kind of multilateral economic projects in the South Caucasus," he said. "The way I see it, these are realistic goals that can expected to be achieved."
At the same time, Kortunov stressed that Monday’s meeting saw no major breakthroughs. Some fundamental disagreements remain, such as the question of Nagorno-Karabakh. For Azerbaijan, Kortunov said, it is practically closed. Baku is not ready to discuss this topic. In the meantime, for Yerevan the issue remains on the agenda.
"Therefore, it is hard to say there has been any serious breakthrough here, but I would like to hope that some kind of progress can be achieved in the end. At least, as far as humanitarian decisions, prevention of risks of an escalation, and preservation of this territory’s ethnic composition are concerned," he explained.
As for Moscow's role in handling the situation, "the very instance of such a meeting on Russian territory shows that Russia is still the main external player in this conflict, despite the increased activity of external forces from the EU and the US."
Trilateral talks by the leaders of Azerbaijan, Armenia and Russia - Ilham Aliyev, Nikol Pashinyan and Vladimir Putin - took place in Sochi on Monday. In the final statement Azerbaijan and Armenia agreed to refrain from the use of force and the threat of its use. The countries also noted the importance of launching trilateral inter-parliamentary contacts, which would help build mutual confidence. The importance of active preparations for the conclusion of a peace treaty between Azerbaijan and Armenia was emphasized. Russia will assist the two parties in readying such a treaty for signature.