Armenia and Azerbaijan can resolve border issues using maps from the Soviet period, but the process requires mutual compromises, Russian President Vladimir Putin told a meeting of the Valdai Discussion Club on Thursday, October 21, TASS reports.
"The most important thing now is to resolve the situation on the border. And here, of course, nothing can be achieved without the participation of Russia. Perhaps, we don't even need anyone else, except for the two sides and Russia. Why? We have very simple, pragmatic things here: because there are maps in the General Staff of the Russian army, which show how the border between the Union republics passed during the Soviet period," Putin said.
"There are things that also require mutual compromises – somewhere to align things, somewhere to exchange things, so that it was beneficial to both parties."
According to the Russian President, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan showed "political wisdom" when they decided to stop the bloodshed in Karabakh.
"Despite all the tragedy of the events, they managed to rise above the momentary political conjuncture and make a very responsible decision," Putin said.
"Nevertheless, there are still important aspects, namely, it is necessary to create conditions for a long-term settlement in the region as a whole. These conditions can be created only if both sides accept the agreements reached as long-term and both sides appreciate the advantages of peaceful coexistence. And everyone is interested in this."
Pashinyan, Putin and Aliyev on November 9, 2020 signed a statement to end the war in Karabakh after almost 45 days. Under the deal, the Armenian side returned all the seven regions surrounding Nagorno-Karabakh, having lost a part of Karabakh itself in hostilities.
