Russia hails Azerbaijan-Armenia agreement on confidence-building steps, military personnel release

Russia on Friday welcomed Azerbaijan and Armenia's joint statement on an agreement to take confidence-building measures, as well as the release of each other's military personnel.

"We welcome the agreement (reached) between Baku and Yerevan on the release of Armenian and Azerbaijani military personnel," Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said in a statement released by the ministry.

Zakharova said Russia has consistently promoted the idea of exchanging detainees on an "all for all" principle, and that the agreement contributes to strengthening trust between the two countries and opens new opportunities in Azerbaijani-Armenian normalization in the context of the trilateral agreements that also included Moscow.

"We are ready to continue to provide all possible assistance in unblocking transport communications, delimiting the border, concluding a peace treaty and contacts through civil society," she added.

She said Moscow also welcomed Armenia's decision to withdraw its candidacy to host the 29th UN Climate Change Conference (COP29) and support Azerbaijan's candidacy, as well as the decision of Baku to support Yerevan's candidacy to become a member of the COP Bureau's Eastern European Group.

"The Russian side held contacts with Baku and Yerevan aimed at achieving a common agreement on the UNFCCC (UN Framework Convention on Climate Change)," she added.

On Thursday, Azerbaijan and Armenia issued a joint statement announcing their agreement to mutually release detainees in a step toward peace.

The statement also declared Armenia's support for Azerbaijan's bid to host COP28 and Baku's support for Yerevan's candidature for Eastern European Group COP Bureau membership as "signs of good gesture."

"The Republic of Armenia and the Republic of Azerbaijan will continue their discussions regarding the implementation of more confidence-building measures, effective in the near future, and call on the international community to support their efforts that will contribute to building mutual trust between (the) two countries and will positively impact the entire South Caucasus region," the statement said.