Zakharova: Yerevan's western-influenced approach impedes normalization in the region

Yerevan, once again acting under the guidance of the West, is missing an opportunity not only to establish transport links with its neighbors but also to contribute to the overall normalization of the situation in the region, according to Maria Zakharova, the spokesperson for the Russian Foreign Ministry, who spoke during a briefing.

According to Report, Zakharova's comments came in response to the Armenian Foreign Ministry's reaction to a statement made by Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. She emphasized that "reaching final agreements on launching railway communication was not possible due to the intransigence of the Armenian side on issues of border control."

The spokesperson pointed out that Yerevan had deviated from the previously agreed arrangements of November 9, 2020, and began insisting on the principle of reciprocity, demanding the presence of Russian border guards on the Azerbaijani side as well.

"Subsequently, the Armenian authorities followed the lead of their new Western friends and effectively froze joint work in the tripartite working group, but this did not yield practical results in terms of unblocking communications," Zakharova noted.