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Russia, Turkey to have equal representation in Karabakh monitoring center

Russian Defense Ministry Spokesman Igor Konashenkov said the center will be located in Azerbaijan

MOSCOW, December 1. /TASS/. Russia and Turkey will have equal representation in a joint center to monitor the ceasefire in the Nagorno-Karabakh region, Russian Defense Ministry Spokesman Igor Konashenkov said on Tuesday.

According to him, the center will be located in Azerbaijan. "Russia and Turkey will be equally represented in the joint center," Konashenkov noted.

He also said that Russian peacekeepers had cleared Zorge Street in the Nagorno-Karabakh capital of Stepanakert and the area along the Shusha-Lysogorsky gas pipeline of mines. "An area of over five hectares and two kilometers of roads were cleared, 109 explosive devices were found, which were taken to a special equipped area and deactivated," the Russian Defense Ministry spokesman specified. Russian military engineers have so far cleared over 34 hectares of land and about 12 kilometers of roads of mines, inspected more than 110 homes and social facilities, found and deactivated 1,077 explosive devices.

In addition, Russian peacekeepers continue to assist in the reconstruction of crucial engineering facilities in Nagorno-Karabakh, while a group of Russian military doctors is providing medical assistance to local residents. Russia’s peacekeeping mission and the International Committee of the Red Cross continue to coordinate the exchange of dead bodies.

On November 9, Russian President Vladimir Putin, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan signed a joint statement on a complete ceasefire in Nagorno-Karabakh starting from November 10. The Russian leader said that Azerbaijan and Armenia would maintain the positions that they had held and Russian peacekeepers would be deployed to the region.

According to the Russian Defense Ministry, Russian observation points have been established along the line of contact in Nagorno-Karabakh and the Lachin Corridor connecting the region with Armenia. The peacekeeping operation’s command is stationed in the Nagorno-Karabakh capital of Stepanakert.