ArmInfo.Issues of strengthening regional security are being actively discussed with Armenian partners in various formats, and the main for this cooperation are various agreements and arrangements that have been formalized on a bilateral basis. On July 9, during a weekly briefing, this was stated by official representative of the Russian Foreign Ministry Maria Zakharova, referring to the prospects for expanding the 102nd Russian military base in Armenia.
"As for expanding the presence of Russian military facilities, this is still the competence of the Russian Ministry of Defense," Zakharova said.
Answering the question about the Karabakh settlement, the representative of the Russian Foreign Ministry recalled that this issue was comprehensively discussed on July 7 at the meeting of the leaders of Armenia and Russia in Moscow.
"The importance of the implementation of the trilateral statements of the leaders of November 9, 2020 and January 11 of this year was confirmed. Russia is ready to contribute to the establishment of a peaceful life in Nagorno-Karabakh, trust between Yerevan and Baku, as well as the elimination of mutual irritants," she said, recalling that the acting Prime Minister of the Republic of Armenia personally thanked the President of the Russian Federation for his assistance in the process of returning prisoners of war.
In this vein, she recalled that after the signing of the trilateral statement, 97 prisoners of war were exchanged: 81 were handed over to the Armenian side, 16 - to the Azerbaijani side.
At the same time, she noted with regret that it has not yet been possible to fully resolve either the issue of transferring all prisoners of war or the priority issue for Baku related to minefield maps. Zakharova reminded once again that Russia's position on this issue is unambiguous, their implementation without any preconditions or linkages. She also stressed that the situation in the zone of operation of the peacekeeping contingent is stable.
Referring to the situation on the Armenian-Azerbaijani border, the representative of the Russian Foreign Ministry stressed that Moscow does not believe that the situation on the border of the two countries is directly related to the Nagorno-Karabakh settlement, but rather is a consequence of the lack of legal registration of the border.
"The general background, of course, aggravates the lack of mutual trust of the parties, that's exactly right. We have repeatedly stressed that as a sustainable and long-term solution to this problem we see the earliest start of work on the delimitation of the border between Azerbaijan and Armenia with its subsequent demarcation. We are ready to provide the necessary advisory assistance, and currently contacts continue through the foreign policy and defense departments, as well as border services, including with a view to de- escalating tensions, "she said.
At the same time, Zakharova did not answer the question of against whom was directed "Shusha" Declaration, signed in June of this year between Azerbaijan and Turkey, noting that Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov commented on this issue in detail on June 30 in Antalya.