Igor Khovaev, the Russian Co-chair of the OSCE Minsk Group, will continue his work in the new status of special representative of the Russian Foreign Minister for the settlement of relations between Azerbaijan and Armenia, Maria Zakharova, the official representative of the Russian Foreign Ministry, told journalists.

“Let me remind you that on February 24, Washington and Paris stopped all contacts with Moscow within the framework of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs. Meanwhile, the situation in the South Caucasus doesn’t allow for negotiation pauses. Since the United States and France have terminated the Co-Chairs’ cooperation, consistent steps are needed towards restoring long-term peace and stability in the region. Ambassador-at-Large Khovaev will continue his work with a new quality as the special representative of the Russian Foreign Minister for the settlement of relations between Azerbaijan and Armenia,” Zakharova said.

According to the representative of the Russian Foreign Ministry, the topic of preparing a peace treaty is in the focus of Khovaev’s attention.

“As we have already noted earlier, the “fundamental principles of establishing interstate relations between Azerbaijan and Armenia” proposed by Baku and the subsequent reaction of Yerevan will become the basis for the start of the Armenian-Azerbaijani negotiations on a peace treaty.”

Zakharova noted that on April 9, Russian President Vladimir Putin discussed the topic of negotiations with the leaders of Armenia and Azerbaijan, and the Foreign Ministers of Russia, Armenia and Azerbaijan have also touched upon the issue: “Russia is determined to promote the conclusion of a peace treaty between Yerevan and Baku,” Zakharova said.