Lavrov Unveils 8 Key Points on Russia-Armenia Relations: Regional Challenges & Western Interference

In a press conference on Thursday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov addressed various issues, emphasizing Russia's stance on regional relations and highlighting concerns about Western interference in the South Caucasus.

1. Russia Denies Initiating Relations Freeze with Armenia:

Sergey Lavrov dismissed claims that Russia initiated any freezing of relations with Armenia. He stated that despite past opposition calls to leave the CSTO and EAEU, Russia never had the desire to sever ties with Yerevan, even after Prime Minister Pashinyan came to power.

2. EU Monitoring Mission and Russian Borders:

Lavrov criticized the EU monitoring mission in Armenia, accusing it of trying to 'sniff out' Russia's actions in the region. He suggested that instead of building confidence, the mission focused on observing Russia. Lavrov proposed inviting the CSTO mission alongside the EU, but Armenia's disappointment with the CSTO led to a rejection.

3. Armenia's Opposition to Russian Control of Syunik Province Road:

Armenia's resistance to Russian control of the Syunik Province road connecting Azerbaijan to Nakhichevan was highlighted by Lavrov. He expressed disappointment that the opening of the route remained on paper, attributing the delay to Armenia's position, possibly influenced by external advice.

4. Pashinyan's Handling of Nagorno-Karabakh Status:

Lavrov credited Russian President Putin's role in the tripartite agreement between Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Russia. He criticized the EU and US for intervening after the agreements began implementation. Lavrov claimed that the West's interference led to the premature closure of the Nagorno-Karabakh status issue by Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan.

5. Peace Treaty Negotiations and Western Obstruction:

Lavrov stated that Azerbaijan is ready to sign a peace treaty with Armenia on Russian territory. However, he accused Western countries of obstructing the implementation of tripartite agreements and attempting to dictate the delimitation of the Armenia-Azerbaijan border.

6. Promising 3+3 Format in South Caucasus:

The Russian Foreign Minister expressed optimism about the 3+3 cooperation mechanism between Azerbaijan, Armenia, Georgia, Russia, Turkey, and Iran. Lavrov sees this format as promising, free from global geopolitical influences.

7. Armenia's Silence on Removing Russia from South Caucasus:

Lavrov mentioned the West's public demand to remove Russia from the South Caucasus, noting that Armenia has not objected to this demand.

8. Russian Criticism of Armenia's Stance on Syunik Province Road:

Lavrov criticized Armenia's opposition to Russian control of the road and railway connecting Azerbaijan to Nakhichevan through the Syunik Province. He accused Armenia of contradicting what was agreed upon and avoiding neutral border and customs control.

In conclusion, Sergey Lavrov's statements shed light on Russia's perspective on regional dynamics, expressing concerns about Western interference and highlighting the challenges in Armenia-Russia relations.