Armenian-Azerbaijani agreement not ready for signing- Marukyan

YEREVAN, December 14. /ARKA/. The peace treaty between Armenia and Azerbaijan has not been finalized and is not ready for signing, Armenian Ambassador-at-Large Edmond Marukyan said in an interview with the Public Television of Armenia.

According to him, there is hope that the text of the treaty will be finalized at the meeting of foreign ministers in January in the United States.

Armenia was the first to respond positively to the proposal of U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken to host the meeting of foreign ministers in Washington. Marukyan said Azerbaijan has also responded positively.

Marukyan said that despite Azerbaijan's recent refusal from contacts with Armenia in the EU platforms, the return of 32 Armenian POWs from Azerbaijani captivity is a step that strengthens the atmosphere of trust between the two countries.

He also commented on statements that Azerbaijan does not fulfill its commitments, outlined in the November 9, 2020 trilateral statement made by the leaders of Armenia, Azerbaijan and Russia, saying these statements are no longer relevant.

"There is a misunderstanding that if the negotiations are held in the US, Russia or the EU, they will be the guarantor of compliance with the agreement, but this is not the case. The guarantor mechanism should be documented, it should spell out all the conditions in case of a dispute between the parties," Marukyan said. -0-