I Have Seen with My Own Eyes What is Happening There: Zas on the Armenian-Azerbaijani Border Situation

The Secretary General of the Collective Security Treaty Organization, Stanislav Zas, has commented on the prospects for establishing peace between Armenia and Azerbaijan in the South Caucasus. Speaking at the Valdai International Discussion Club during the conference titled "Collective Security in a New Era: CSTO's Experience and Prospects," Zas highlighted a degree of cautious optimism regarding the resolution of the conflict.

He noted that following the signing of the tripartite statement by the leaders of Armenia, Russia, and Azerbaijan on November 9, 2020, and the entrance of Russian peacekeepers into Artsakh, the situation has stabilized, and the bloodshed has ceased.

“Certainly, there are hotspots of tension, and they exist along the Armenian-Azerbaijani border. I have been there; I have seen with my own eyes what is happening. However, there is not a border in the true sense but rather a line of contact, strongholds, and observation posts. Shots are fired periodically. This should not be the case,” he stated.

According to the Secretary General, the parties are now faced with significant challenges concerning delimitation and demarcation, which is a vast and complex task, but it will ultimately strengthen the region's security.

“There is cautious optimism that a whole era of war is coming to an end, and another era is beginning. I may be mistaken in this optimism, but nonetheless, the steps currently being taken to establish peace should be welcomed,” he emphasized.