Solving humanitarian issues to pave way for Azerbaijan-Armenia peace treaty, says Putin

MOSCOW

Russian President Vladimir Putin voiced hope on Wednesday that Azerbaijan and Armenia's efforts to reach an agreement on border delimitation and humanitarian issues will pave the way for a peace treaty between them.

"Only through consistent implementation of agreements on the delimitation of borders, unblocking transport communications, and solving humanitarian problems, is it possible to achieve a stable normalization of relations between Armenia and Azerbaijan.

"We hope that this will eventually allow for the conclusion of a peace treaty between Yerevan and Baku," Putin said at a regular session of the Collective Security Organization (CSTO) council in Armenia's capital Yerevan.

Responding to critical remarks by Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, who said the CSTO's image had been tarnished for its failure to aid Yerevan in its 2020 war against Baku, Putin said that while the bloc had its problems, cooperation brings "visible practical benefits, helps to ensure the protection of national interests, sovereignty, and independence" of the member-countries.

Turning to the situation in Afghanistan, Putin said he shared concerns over the "high probability of infiltration by militants" from that country into the CSTO countries in Eurasia.

He also reiterated his congratulations for the reelection of Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev and praised Armenia's chairmanship in the CSTO.

Thanking outgoing CSTO secretary-general Stanislav Zas for his service in that post, the Russian leader wished success to his successor, Kazakhstan representative Imanqali Tasmaqambetov.