Putin sees no problems for conclusion of Armenian-Azerbaijani peace treaty

YEREVAN, October 13. /ARKA/. Russian President Vladimir Putin said today he saw no problems for the conclusion of a peace treaty between Armenia and Azerbaijan after the latest events in Nagorno-Karabakh.

On September 19, Azerbaijan launched what it called an "anti-terrorist" operation against ethnic Armenians in Nagorno-Karabakh, also known as Artsakh. The assault lasted 24 hours and ended with Azerbaijani forces gaining full control of the region for the first time since the 1990s war.

This led to a vast refugee crisis, with more than 100,000 ethnic Armenians fleeing the region to the Republic of Armenia.

According to Putin, who spoke to reporters on the sidelines of a CIS summit in Kyrgyz capital Bishkek, there are issues of technical nature related to demarcation and delimitation of the border.

"A hundred meters in one direction, a kilometer in the other - it doesn't matter anymore. With good will on both sides, all this can be done. And then take the next steps, as we once agreed, to develop trade and economic ties and expand infrastructure projects," Putin said.

Earlier on Friday, he said he was ready to assist in signing a peace treaty between Armenia and Azerbaijan and holding talks in Moscow.

Armenia is not leaving the CIS, Putin said in Bishkek. He said he had called Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan about the CIS summit, which the Armenian prime minister did not attend:

"Tthere are circumstances there that I consider quite understandable." Putin said without elaborating.

Presidents of Azerbaijan, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan attended the meeting of the CIS Council of Heads of State in Bishkek. -0-