Russia on Monday accused the West of undermining regional safety and interesting in a “diplomatic raid” within the South Caucasus whereas the US provided assist in serving to Armenia conduct peace talks with Azerbaijan amid hovering tensions between the archrivals.
Talking at a information convention in Moscow alongside his Armenian counterpart, Ararat Mirzoyan, Russian Overseas Minister Sergei Lavrov lashed out at Brussels and Washington for “imposing their supervision” on the peace talks between Yerevan and Baku.
He accused the West of “undisguised makes an attempt … to undermine the area’s safety structure by participating in a diplomatic raid and making an attempt to subdue” trilateral agreements between Russia, Armenia and Azerbaijan.
“They’re making an attempt to impose their curatorship on all this work,” Lavrov mentioned, which he famous concerned lively participation of Russia each in resolving problems with unblocking transport and financial ties, in addition to in delimitating the Armenian-Azerbaijani border and aiding the events in signing a peace treaty.
Moscow sees neither the chance nor the necessity to develop a dialogue with the West on the South Caucasus, he additional careworn.
“We see what objectives the West pursues within the South Caucasus. It does not conceal them – to tear Russia away” from the area, Lavrov mentioned.
Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev have held a number of rounds of peace talks with mediation from Brussels and Washington.
On Feb. 20, the EU deployed an expanded monitoring mission to Armenia’s risky border with Azerbaijan.
Lavrov additional claimed that the West supplies monetary and materials assist to a number of nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) within the South Caucasus for the preparation of “shade revolutions.”
“That is additionally not a lot hidden. … All these nongovernmental organizations are identified. The best way they act, publicly defending the pursuits of the West, making an attempt to discredit the actions of the identical Russia, the identical Iran, can be identified,” he added.
Lachin disaster
Russia is in favor of the complete implementation of the trilateral settlement between Moscow, Baku and Yerevan, he went on to say, noting that the subject of the Lachin hall must be completely seen on this context.
“Every social gathering has its obligations there,” Lavrov mentioned, expressing hope that each one events would perceive the necessity to fulfill the agreements relating to the decision of the disaster within the Lachin hall.
He mentioned a brand new date for a trilateral assembly between the overseas ministers of the three nations shall be mentioned quickly.
Lavrov’s remarks got here days after Pashinian mentioned he had complained to Russian President Vladimir Putin about “issues” with Russian peacekeepers in Karabakh, warning of an escalation within the restive Caucasus area.
Yerevan, which depends on Russia as a safety guarantor, is rising annoyed over the Kremlin’s failure to forestall Baku’s monthslong blockade of the only land hyperlink between Karabakh and Armenia.
It has claimed that the blockade has led to a humanitarian disaster and is geared toward driving Armenians from Karabakh, which Baku has denied.
For his half, Mirzoyan denied {that a} focused anti-Russian marketing campaign is happening in Armenia, noting that many Russian residents reside within the nation with out complaints.
“As for the demonstrations, the structure and the laws of the Republic of Armenia ensures freedom of meeting. I can simply share data with you – demonstrations towards the Armenian authorities are fairly often held in Armenia as effectively,” Mirzoyan mentioned.
He additionally mentioned Yerevan has by no means refused the deployment of a Collective Safety Treaty Group (CSTO) mission on the border areas between Azerbaijan and Armenia, however that there have been difficulties in agreeing on the group’s space of duty.
Aliyev and Pashinian have met a number of occasions as a part of makes an attempt to resolve the battle, however periodic violence has harm peace talks.
Karabakh was the point of interest of two wars which have pitted Armenia towards Azerbaijan within the greater than 30 years since each ex-Soviet states achieved independence. Russia and Armenia are formally allied by a mutual self-defense pact, however Moscow additionally seeks to keep up good relations with Azerbaijan.
Karabakh is internationally acknowledged as a part of Azerbaijan however was underneath Armenian occupation from 1991 to 2020 when 44-day lethal clashes ended with a Russian-brokered cease-fire that noticed Armenia cede territory it had managed for many years and Moscow deploy a peacekeeping contingent.
The settlement is broadly considered a major victory for Azerbaijan nevertheless it has been damaged a number of occasions since then, most notably in October when a shootout alongside their troubled border resulted within the demise of over 280 folks from each side.
Later in December Baku and Yerevan traded accusations over a blockade of the Lachin hall the place Azerbaijani environmental activists have been protesting the unlawful mining of Azerbaijani sources within the area.
Along with one other flareup in violence in early March that noticed no less than 5 folks killed on each side, Azerbaijan on Monday additionally condemned Armenian gunfire on its navy positions within the Zangilan area of Karabakh, which it mentioned injured considered one of its servicemen.
“Armenia ought to cease abusing the presence of the European Union civilian monitoring mission in its territories,” the assertion mentioned, demanding that Yerevan “abandon its navy provocation and more and more aggressive rhetoric” that improve tensions within the area.
“The political and navy management of Armenia bears full duty for the provocations towards the peace-building measures carried out by Azerbaijan within the area.”
U.S. assist
Lavrov’s jabs preceded a contemporary supply of assist from U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken to Pashinian in a cellphone name hours in a while Monday.
Blinken “reiterated U.S. assist for direct talks and diplomacy to assist a long-lasting and sustainable peace within the South Caucasus and careworn that there isn’t any navy answer,” the State Division mentioned in an announcement.
Final month, Blinken additionally introduced collectively Aliyev and Pashinian on the sidelines of the Munich Safety Convention the place the 2 leaders reached “a standard understanding that there must be a two-track method to the state of affairs,” one relating to bilateral peace talks and inner points like communications with Armenians in Karabakh.
Aliyev and Pashinian, nonetheless, have traded extra barbs since then, with Yerevan accusing Baku of “genocide” in Karabakh with the blockade in Lachin and Baku condemning Yerevan for “protecting up its occupation coverage of 30 years by intentionally impeding peace efforts.”