Armenia and Azerbaijan Are Really One Step Away: Kalashnikov

Armenia and Azerbaijan are one step away from signing a peace agreement. This statement was made by Leonid Kalashnikov, Chairman of the Commonwealth of Independent States Affairs Committee of the Russian State Duma, while discussing the Armenian-Azerbaijani peace negotiations and Russia's role in them.

“Now, it seems to me that Armenia and Azerbaijan are indeed one step away from signing a peace agreement. I would say that the events that have taken place and have led to the current situation have developed correctly. The only thing that needs to be agreed upon is between the three regional neighbors—Azerbaijan, Armenia, and Russia. I have always talked about this. I have never particularly believed in the Minsk Group regarding the Nagorno-Karabakh issue, where mediators were the USA and France besides us. They have not lifted a finger,” he stated.

Kalashnikov also emphasized that ultimately, everything has come to a trilateral agreement, although it could have been reached without military actions. The deputy is confident that it is advantageous for Armenia to 'open up' right now when the country has 'given up' on Karabakh, and that 'there is no point in banging fists on the table now.'

“We need to make the most of this. This also applies to friendship with Azerbaijan and Turkey. Armenia has no other borders. Where will they flee? The people are talented. A peace treaty is, of course, a good thing. But, for example, we still don't have such an arrangement with the Japanese, which is fine, they can decide here. However, it is worth considering and preparing some corridors that are economically beneficial, including for the neighbors. It is also beneficial for Russia, as we can open a corridor for them to the south, also reaching an agreement with Georgia. In the end, in my opinion, the situation is quite favorable,” he noted.