Russian and Turkish Presidents Vladimir Putin and Tayyip Erdogan discussed the work of the Russian-Turkish monitoring center for the ceasefire in Nagorno-Karabakh by telephone on Thursday, the Turkish leader's office told reporters.
"The presidents discussed regional issues and steps to be taken to develop Turkish-Russian relations. President Erdogan noted that the joint center in the Aghdam region has successfully begun its work on monitoring the ceasefire. He also informed of the need to make joint efforts on all issues to maintain the ceasefire [in Nagorno-Karabakh]," the communiqué reads.
According to Erdogan, "an early settlement of the Syrian issue is a common interest" of Turkey and Russia. The Turkish president also added that "the opportunity for peace and stability in Libya should not be missed.
Improving кoads
Erdogan asserted that Turkish, Russian and Azerbaijani experts can cooperate in improving the condition of highways and railroads in Nagorno-Karabakh.
"President Erdogan said Turkish and Russian experts can meet with their Azerbaijani counterparts to make roads and railroads in Nagorno-Karabakh more efficient," the statement said.
Meanwhile, on February 15, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev started the construction of the Horadiz-Agbend railroad in the territories around Nagorno-Karabakh, taken over by Baku. According to Aliyev, a railway line from Russia to Armenia can also be opened, which "can only pass through the territory of Azerbaijan". The Azerbaijani President added that "a railroad connection between Russia and Iran through the territory of Nakhchivan" and "a railroad connection between Iran and Armenia" will appear.
The situation in Nagorno-Karabakh escalated on September 27, 2020, with active fighting there. Russian President Vladimir Putin, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan signed a joint statement on November 9 on the complete cessation of hostilities in Karabakh. On January 11, they agreed to establish a working group at the level of deputy prime ministers of the three countries to focus on the establishment of transport and economic ties in the region.
The joint Russian-Turkish center for monitoring the ceasefire and all military activities in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict zone was opened in accordance with a memorandum signed by the heads of defense ministries of Russia and Turkey on November 11, 2020. Specialists of the center will collect, summarize and verify information on the observance of the ceasefire regime and on the actions that violate the agreements reached by the parties. Monitoring will be carried out through the use of unmanned aerial vehicles, as well as the evaluation of data obtained from other sources.
GSV "Russia - Islamic World"
Photo: Stanislav Krasilnikov / TASS
Based on materials from TASS