Russia: Hard to negotiate amid skirmishes on Armenia-Azerbaijan border

PanARMENIAN.Net - Peace between Armenia and Azerbaijan has no alternative, Deputy Prime Minister of Russia Alexei Overchuk said in an interview with TASS on the sidelines of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF).

However, he said, clashes are still happening on the border of Armenia and Azerbaijan, people are dying, in such conditions it is difficult to negotiate on unblocking transport links.

"In our case, everyone understands that there is no alternative to peace between Azerbaijan and Armenia. The best way to achieve peace is to open up the opportunity for people to interact peacefully, build a common road, along which people and goods will then go, normal life, trade, and gradually old grievances will begin. will recede into the background," Overchuk said, commenting on the negotiations on unblocking transport communications between Yerevan and Baku.

As for the timing of the opening of communications, according to the Russian Deputy Prime Minister, there is no exact answer to that question yet.

"Then, when we agree, the corresponding document will be signed than. It will then be possible to start restoring the railway that existed in Soviet times, and which was used by both Armenians and Azerbaijanis," he said.

According to Overchuk, a unique format of relations has developed in the tripartite working group of vice-premiers.

"It helps a lot that we come from the same big country, studied with the same textbooks, watched the same films, understand the same humor and therefore find a common language on a human level. This is the intangible value that creates hope and helps to move forward. Thinking about work of our group, you understand how important it is for peace in our common Eurasian home not to lose this commonality throughout the post-Soviet space and pass it on to the next generations," Overchuk said.