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Putin, Aliyev discuss Nagorno-Karabakh in phone call, Kremlin reports

The presidents discussed, in particular, issues of ensuring peace, security and progressive social-economic development of the region, as well as the course of work to restore transport communications

MOSCOW, April 8./TASS/. Russian President Vladimir Putin had a telephone conversation on Thursday with his Azerbaijani counterpart Ilham Aliyev, in which the developments concerning Nagorno-Karabakh were discussed, the Kremlin press service reports.

"Discussion was continued of the situation surrounding Nagorno-Karabakh, its further stabilization in line with the statements of the Russian, Azerbaijani and Armenian leaders of November 9, 2020 and January 11, 2021," it said.

According to the press service, the presidents discussed, in particular, "issues of ensuring peace, security and progressive social-economic development of the region, as well as the course of work to restore transport communications," it said.

The results of the Russian-Armenian summit talks in Moscow on April 7 were taken into account, it added.

The presidents of Russia and Azerbaijan agreed "to give a boost to contacts in various formats," the press service said.

On Aril 7, Putin held talks at the Kremlin with Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, in which Nagorno-Karabakh was also the focal point.

Renewed clashes between Azerbaijan and Armenia erupted on September 27, 2020, with intense battles raging in the disputed region of Nagorno-Karabakh. Baku and Yerevan have disputed sovereignty over Nagorno-Karabakh since February 1988, when the region declared secession from the Azerbaijani Soviet Socialist Republic.

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. Under the document, the Azerbaijani and Armenian sides stopped at the positions that they had maintained, and Russian peacekeepers were deployed along the engagement line in Nagorno-Karabakh and along the Lachin Corridor that connects Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh.

After the deployment of Russian peacekeepers, the situation in Nagorno-Karabakh has stabilized. Tens of thousands of Nagorno-Karabakh residents who left their homes during the hostilities came back with the help of the peacekeeping force.