Baku concerned about planned EU-Armenia-U.S. conference - Azerbaijani FM to Russian diplomat

BAKU. March 29 (Interfax) - Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov met with Russian Ambassador-at-Large Pavel Knyazev on Friday to discuss aspects of bilateral and multilateral cooperation between Azerbaijan and Russia and the current situation in the region, the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry said.

Bayramov said at the meeting that current relations between the two countries had a positive effect on broader cooperation on regional and international platforms, it said.

Bayramov informed Knyazev of the post-conflict situation in the South Caucasus and Azerbaijan's steps as part of a peace process. In particular, he warned that a peace process between Azerbaijan and Armenia was being obstructed by the actions of certain countries located outside the region and projecting their lopsided position there, it said.

In this context, Bayramov said Baku was concerned about an EU-Armenia-U.S. joint conference scheduled for April 5 in Brussels. Such initiatives where Azerbaijan's position is not taken into consideration could encourage Armenia, where revanchist sentiment is widespread, to commit new provocations, he said.

"Despite the current difficulties and challenges, Azerbaijan is full of resolve to continue its activity to secure peace and stability in the region," Bayramov said.

The two diplomats also exchanged opinions on other matters of mutual interest, the ministry said.