For the first time in decades of negotiations, at the Moscow meeting of foreign ministers of Azerbaijan and Armenia with the participation of the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs, certain results were reached. The statement of the foreign ministers of Azerbaijan, Armenia and Russia, as well as the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs, noted that the foreign ministers of Azerbaijan and Armenia emphasized their interest in further stabilizing the situation in the conflict zone. They also agreed to take measures to allow families to meet with relatives detained in another country. The ministers expressed readiness to begin concrete work on establishing contacts between people, including through mutual visits of media representatives.

Azerbaijani political expert Ilgar Valizade shared his view about the meeting in Moscow to Eurasia Diary.

“The parties actually decided to focus on the solution of humanitarian tasks, which create the background for further progress in the negotiation process as a whole. Today it is obvious that the achievement of real steps on the political dimension is complicated by many circumstances, ”political scientist Ilgar Velizade told.

It is obvious that the Armenian side is not ready to fully consider the issue of the return of Azerbaijani territories and the return of refugees. The Azerbaijani side believes that in this direction, we need steps that fully take into account the realities in the conflict zone. It is clear that the parties are ready to discuss so far only the creation of conditions for the achievement of concrete steps, the creation of a favorable background for political decisions. And for this, humanitarian actions are needed, of which are not risky the release of hostages and prisoners according to the “all for all” formula. The mutual visits of journalists who will form the public background for the successful resolution of political issues are also a step in this direction,” he said.

“The Azerbaijani society expects that these steps to create a favorable background will be followed by concrete steps to liberate the territories and return the Azerbaijani refugees. The agreements reached can be regarded as a kind of advance payment to the Armenian side. Taking into account the realities and moods in the societies of the conflicting parties, we should first prepare the societies so that people make future political decisions. New Moscow agreements can be regarded as the basis for preparing societies for subsequent decisions," Ilgar Velizade concluded.