YEREVAN, Nov. 6 (Xinhua) -- Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan said that peace between Armenia and Azerbaijan must be based on mutual benefit, which he described as the key to ensuring lasting stability in the South Caucasus, Armenpress reported.
Speaking Wednesday at the international forum Orbeli 2025, Mirzoyan said that both Armenia and Azerbaijan, as well as other regional states, should gain tangible advantages from existing and future agreements.
"It is this mutual benefit that, I am convinced, will give durability and longevity to the peace agreement that will be signed, as well as to the declaration already adopted," Mirzoyan said. "Armenia will not be interested in violating these agreements, nor will Azerbaijan or Türkiye, and the same applies to other countries."
The minister stressed that peace would help both Armenia and Azerbaijan strengthen their sovereignty, noting that ongoing conflicts often create space for external actors to pursue their own interests.
"Any conflict provides a favorable environment for third countries to advance their influence over the conflicting sides," he said. "There are no absolutely independent states -- countries are interconnected through trade and other relations, which are essential for their development. Strategically, we can strengthen our sovereignty, and these interconnections should not be seen as a weakness."
Armenia and Azerbaijan initialed a peace agreement on Aug. 8 in Washington, D.C. ■
