Putin, Erdogan discuss situation around Nagorno-Karabakh – Kremlin

YEREVAN, June 25. /ARKA/. Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan exchanged June 24 their opinions about the situation around Nagorno-Karabakh, the Kremlin press service said, according to TASS.

"The sides continued to exchange opinions on the situation around Nagorno-Karabakh," the press service said. "They expressed their positive assessment of the work of the joint Russian-Turkish center for monitoring of ceasefire and cessation of hostilities."

"The President of Turkey voiced his support for Russian efforts to ensure the full implementation of the agreements, cemented in the November 9, 2020, trilateral statement of the leaders of Russia, Armenia and Azerbaijan," the Kremlin added.

Putin and Erdogan also confirmed the "mutual readiness for further coordination, including in the interests of the economic development and restoration of the transport infrastructure of the region."

On September 27, 2020, Azerbaijani armed forces, backed by Turkey and foreign mercenaries and terrorists, attacked Nagorno-Karabakh along the entire front line using rocket and artillery weapons, heavy armored vehicles, military aircraft and prohibited types of weapons such as cluster bombs and  phosphorus weapons.

After 44 days of the war, on November 9, the leaders of Russia, Azerbaijan and Armenia signed a statement on the cessation of all hostilities. According to the document, the town of Shushi, the districts of Agdam, Kelbajar and Lachin were handed over to Azerbaijan, with the exception of a 5-kilometer corridor connecting Karabakh with Armenia. 

A Russian peacekeeping contingent was deployed along the contact line in Karabakh and along the Lachin corridor. -0-