Moscow: Place for Georgia in the "3 + 3" format will remain vacant

ArmInfo.Russia hopes that holding a meeting in the "3 + 3" format (Azerbaijan, Armenia, Georgia - Russia, Turkey, Iran) on the Transcaucasus is a "short-term" issue.   Deputy Foreign Minister of the Russian Federation Andrei Rudenko  stated.

"While these issues are being worked out, it is necessary to obtain  the consent of all participants. When it is reached, we will announce  where it will take place. We hope that this is a short-term issue,"  he said, answering the relevant TASS question.

"A place for Georgia in the '3 + 3' format with the participation of  the three republics of the Caucasus and Russia, Iran and Turkey will  remain vacant until Tbilisi expresses its readiness to take part in  such discussions. We are fully open for the participation of  Georgians in this process. Therefore if such a meeting takes place,  but there are plans to hold a meeting in one of the capitals of these  six states. If Georgia does not confirm its readiness to participate,  the chair will remain vacant for Georgia. When Georgia considers it  necessary, it will to be the same full participant in the process,  "he said.

The high-ranking diplomat pointed out that the initiative to create  this format belongs to the leaders of Turkey and Azerbaijan. "The  presidents of these two countries voiced this idea to gather in the"  3 + 3 "format - three Transcaucasian countries, Russia, Turkey, Iran  - and discuss the overall situation in the region in the context of  recent events. Of course, recent events have changed the situation in  the region, and we have to somehow adapt to the new reality. This is  an objective reality, should  be perceived as it is, "- noted  Rudenko.

He explained that Moscow supported this initiative, as it considered  it promising. "This is a promising idea - to bring together the  countries of the region at the negotiation table, since they are the  ones who must solve regional problems," the Russian Deputy Foreign  Minister concluded.

It should be noted that the leaders of Azerbaijan and Turkey, Ilham  Aliyev and Recep Tayyip Erdogan, came up with an initiative on a  six-party format (Azerbaijan, Armenia, Georgia, Russia, Turkey, Iran)  of cooperation on Karabakh and the issue of unblocking economic and  transport ties in the region. This initiative is not yet supported by  Georgia, which refuses to participate in any initiatives with the  participation of the Russian side, and Armenia did not give an  unequivocal answer either. The initiative was proposed after the  signing of a trilateral statement to end bloodshed in the  Nagorno-Karabakh conflict zone.  The aggression was unleashed by the  Azerbaijani-Turkish tandem against Artsakh on September 27, 2020.   The fighting lasted 44 days.