Russian President Vladimir Putin and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan discussed the implementation of agreements on Nagorno-Karabakh, the Kremlin press service said on Wednesday.
"They discussed practical aspects of the implementation of the November 9, 2020, statement of the leaders of Russia, Armenia and Azerbaijan on Nagorno-Karabakh, as well as the agreements reached during the trilateral summit in Moscow on January 11, 2021," the statement said.
The Kremlin also noted that some topical issues of Russian-Armenian cooperation were touched upon in the conversation. "It was agreed to continue contacts at various levels," it added.
As the press service of the Armenian government reported in turn, the leaders touched on the return of prisoners of war. "In particular, the need for the immediate return of prisoners of war, hostages and other detainees was stressed," the press service of the Armenian Cabinet said. It adds that the two leaders also discussed the bilateral cooperation agenda and ways to further develop allied cooperation.
On Karabakh agreements
The situation in Nagorno-Karabakh escalated on September 27 and active fighting broke out there. Baku and Yerevan have disputed ownership of the region since February 1988, when it announced its secession from the Azerbaijani SSR. Russian President Vladimir Putin, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan signed a joint statement on the full cessation of hostilities in Nagorno-Karabakh on November 9 last year.
According to the document, the Azerbaijani and Armenian sides stopped at the occupied positions, a number of districts passed under Baku's control, and Russian peacekeepers were deployed along the line of contact and the Lachin corridor. After the deployment of peacekeepers, the situation stabilized and only one ceasefire violation was recorded. Tens of thousands of Karabakh residents who left their homes during the hostilities returned with the support of peacekeepers.
On January 11, at the initiative of the Russian leader, Putin, Aliyev and Pashinyan met in Moscow on the settlement of Karabakh. The outcome of the trilateral talks, which lasted about four hours, was an agreement to create a working group at the level of the deputy prime ministers of the three countries, which will focus on the establishment of transport and economic ties in the region.
GSV "Russia - Islamic World"
Photo: official website of the President of the Russian Federation
Based on materials from TASS