Russia appealed to Armenia
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation issued a statement on the occasion of the high-level meeting in the Armenia-US-EU format. We present it below.
“We consider the high-level meeting in the Armenia-US-EU format, which took place on April 5, 2024, in Brussels, as another attempt of the “Collective West” to involve the South Caucasus in a geopolitical confrontation.
The irresponsible and destructive intervention of extra-regional forces in the affairs of the South Caucasus, the desire to drive a wedge between the countries of the region and their neighbors can lead to the most negative consequences for the stability, security and economic development of the region, provoke the emergence of new dividing lines, as well as the uncontrolled increase of tension.
It is obvious that the West wants to turn Armenia into a tool for the implementation of its extremely dangerous plans in the South Caucasus. We know that Washington and Brussels, under short-lived promises, are trying to get Armenia to withdraw from the CSTO and EAEU, as well as the withdrawal of the Russian military base and border guards.
We call on the leadership of Yerevan not to allow the West to deceive them and lead the country down the wrong path, which is fraught with the emergence of a security vacuum, serious problems in the economy and the outflow of the population.
The volumes of grant support announced in Brussels cannot be compared with the multi-billion benefits that Armenia continues to receive from cooperation between Moscow and the Eurasian Economic Union and the CIS. It is these factors that have ensured a multiple increase in product turnover in recent years (four times since 2018) and, as a result, record economic growth and an increase in the well-being of the population.
We affirm our commitment to comprehensively deepen and expand relations with Armenia based on the principles set forth in fundamental bilateral documents and agreements through common integration associations.
We are sure that the progressive development of the Russian-Armenian alliance will contribute to the realization of the fundamental interests of the peoples of Russia and Armenia, strengthening of regional security and stability.
The West also does not give up its attempts to destroy the fundamental basis of the settlement of Armenian-Azerbaijani relations: the 2020-2022 tripartite declarations of the leaders of Russia, Armenia and Azerbaijan, which envisage measures to unblock transport and economic connections, demarcate borders, and prepare a peace treaty.
It was under the pressure of Washington and Brussels that the official Yerevan suspended the implementation of those agreements, many of which, in particular, regarding the elimination of the mutual transport blockade, the parties were close to mutually acceptable solutions. Moscow is ready to support the long-awaited peace between Azerbaijan and Armenia in every possible way.
Both regional and bilateral problematic issues in the South Caucasus should be resolved in accordance with the principle of “regional responsibility”, which was agreed upon on October 23, 2023, during the second meeting of the “3+3” consultative platform in Tehran, in which Armenia was also a participant.
We call on the foreign players to respect these agreements, and the authorities of Yerevan to take into account the concerns of the neighboring states when building their foreign policy,” the statement said.
