Russian and French Presidents Vladimir Putin and Emmanuel Macron in the course of a telephone conversation discussed in detail the situation around Nagorno-Karabakh and confirmed the mutual readiness to continue coordination on various aspects of the settlement in the region. This was reported by the Kremlin press service.
"The Russian president stressed that the situation in the region is stabilizing and that the agreements recorded in the statement of the presidents of Russia, Azerbaijan and the Armenian Prime Minister of November 9 are being consistently implemented in general. The successful work of Russian peacekeepers, who, at the request of Baku and Yerevan, ensure the ceasefire regime and the safety of civilians, was noted. Both sides confirmed their readiness to continue coordination on different aspects of the Nagorno-Karabakh settlement, especially within the OSCE Minsk Group," the statement reads.
The press service noted that among the most urgent issues the humanitarian problems were related to the return of refugees, restoration of infrastructure, preservation of religious and cultural monuments, in particular, through the International Humanitarian Response Center.
The presidents of Russia and France exchanged views on the settlement of the internal Ukrainian conflict and agreed to continue work within the Normand format.
"During the exchange of views on the settlement of the internal Ukrainian conflict, interest was expressed in intensifying efforts to implement the key provisions of the 2015 Minsk agreements, as well as the decisions taken at the Normandy summit on December 9, 2019, in Paris. In this connection, the Russian side once again emphasized the need for Ukraine to fulfil its obligations regarding the political aspects of the settlement, including the legal registration of the special status of Donbas and the consolidation of the "Steinmeier formula" in national legislation. It was agreed to continue work within the framework of the Normandy format," the statement said.
The presidents also discussed the intensification of cooperation in the fight against the coronavirus pandemic. "A number of current topics of bilateral cooperation with a focus on the fight against the pandemic coronavirus were also touched upon. The intention to develop contacts between specialized organizations of the two countries on the production of vaccines and mass vaccination of the population was confirmed," the report said.
The presidents discussed the situation around Iran as well as in Syria and Libya. "On the situation around the Iranian nuclear program - the need for collective efforts to maintain the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action was stated on both sides. They discussed the current situation in Syria and Libya. With regard to Libya, the importance of maintaining the cessation of hostilities and promoting an effective political process with the participation of representatives of all key Libyan forces was noted," the report reads.
GSV "Russia - Islamic World"
Photo: official website of the President of the Russian Federation
Based on materials from TASS