Putin to discuss Azerbaijani-Armenian settlement with Aliyev during Baku visit

By Elena Teslova

MOSCOW (AA) - Russian and Azerbaijani presidents plan to discuss the Armenian settlement during Vladimir Putin's official visit to Baku on Aug. 18-19, the Kremlin said on Sunday.

"The presidents will exchange views on topical issues of regional and international politics, in particular the Azerbaijani-Armenian settlement," the Kremlin press service said in a statement.

The Russian side reaffirms its willingness to continue contributing to the normalization of relations between Azerbaijan and Armenia, it said.

"The key tasks remain the signing of a peace treaty, the promotion of the process of delimitation and demarcation of the Azerbaijani-Armenian border, the unblocking of transport, logistics and economic ties in the region on the basis of the trilateral agreements reached at the highest level in 2020-2022," the readout said.

The parties will also discuss matters pertaining to the further advancement of the Russian-Azerbaijani strategic partnership and alliance, as well as current international and regional issues.

"It is planned to approve a joint statement of the heads of state and sign intergovernmental agreements and other documents," according to the statement.

Relations between Baku and Yerevan have remained tense since 1991, when the Armenian military occupied Karabakh, a territory internationally recognized as part of Azerbaijan, and seven adjacent regions.

Most of the territory was liberated by Azerbaijan during a 44-day war in the fall of 2020, which ended after a Russian-brokered peace agreement that opened the door to normalization and talks on border demarcation.

Last September, Azerbaijan established full sovereignty in Karabakh following an "anti-terrorist operation," after which separatist forces in the region surrendered.