MOSCOW, May 31. /TASS/. Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ilham Aliyev, the president of Azerbaijan, have discussed in their telephone conversation issues of bilateral partnership development and agreed to maintain current contacts, the Kremlin’s press office said in a statement on Tuesday.
"Key issues of bilateral cooperation in the trade and economic sphere have been discussed," the statement reads. "A bilateral drive for the further development of the Russian-Azerbaijani strategic partnership, which includes results of the Azerbaijani leader’s official visit to Moscow in February, has been confirmed."
According to the statement, Putin and Aliyev also discussed the implementation of trilateral agreements (Russia, Azerbaijan, Armenia) in regard to Nagorno-Karabakh.
"They have discussed the implementation of agreements between the leaders of Russia, Azerbaijan and Armenia - as of November 9, 2020; January 11 and November 26, 2021 - with the focus on certain issues regarding the restoration of the peaceful life and stability in the region, as well as the reinstatement of economic ties and transport communications," according to the statement.
The Kremlin also pointed out that the telephone conversation was initiated by Azerbaijan and the presidents agreed to maintain regular contacts at various levels.
On November 26, 2021, the trilateral negotiations between Russian President Vladimir Putin, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan marking the first anniversary of the signing of a joint statement on a complete ceasefire and an end to all military operations in Nagorno-Karabakh on November 9, 2020, took place in Sochi.
The parties agreed to take steps to improve stability and security on the Azerbaijani-Armenian border. They also stipulated the necessity of establishing a bilateral commission on the state border delimitation with its subsequent demarcation. Russia is providing consultative assistance at the request of the parties.
The problem of demarcating the Armenian-Azerbaijani border emerged in the fall of 2020 when seven districts adjacent to Nagorno-Karabakh came under Baku’s control, and the border between the two countries started to run along an area in close proximity to the Syunik and Gegharkunik Provinces. The situation there remains tense.