(MENAFN- Trend News Agency) BAKU, Azerbaijan, April 9.​ The recent agreements between Baku and Yerevan on the text of a peace agreement offer reasons for optimism, James Sharp, the former UK Ambassador to Azerbaijan, said in an interview with Trend .

Speaking on the sidelines of the "Towards a New World Order" international forum at ADA University, Sharp expressed hope over the progress made.

"The consensus achieved by the sides on the verbiage of the peace accord is indeed a positive development," he said.

However, Sharp also pointed out that a few loose ends are still hanging in the air.

"As President Ilham Aliyev has pointed out, there are still matters related to the Armenian constitution and the dissolution of the OSCE Minsk Group that need to be addressed before the agreement can be signed," he added.

In spite of these hurdles, Sharp held onto the belief that the agreement could be inked before long and stressed that the next move should be mending fences between the peoples of the two nations.

"It's not just about signing the intergovernmental agreement but also about ensuring that the peace is strong and sustainable so that people in both countries truly believe in it and support it," he said.

Sharp also underscored the critical importance of synergistic regional collaboration.

"I am optimistic about the possibility of peace between the two countries, and this would open the door for regional collaboration as well," he noted.

The diplomat also shared his thoughts on his participation in the international forum, which focused on the evolving world order and geopolitics, stressing the importance of the current period, particularly in light of events in the US.

Additionally, Sharp mentioned his first visit to the city of Khankendi, where he met with students from the Karabakh University.

"Meeting with the students was very inspiring-their hopes for the future and their joy in learning made a strong impression on me," he concluded.

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