MOSCOW, June 18. /TASS/. Russia keeps a close eye on the information that Turkey may create a military base in Azerbaijan, Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Friday.

"Beyond any doubt, this is an issue of our close attention," the Russian presidential spokesman said, commenting on the information.

"We are interacting with the Turkish Republic in stabilizing the situation in the South Caucasus," the Kremlin spokesman added.

Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan earlier said he did not rule out that a Turkish military base could be created on Azerbaijani territory under the Shusha declaration recently signed with Azerbaijan.

Russia in close contact with Azerbaijan, Armenia, Turkey on Nagorno-Karabakh

Dmitry Peskov also noted that "Russia maintains close contact with Turkey, Armenia and Azerbaijan on the situation in the Nagorno-Karabakh region." 

"We are in close contact with Ankara, Baku and Yerevan as we believe that all steps should facilitate efforts to further stabilize the situation in the South Caucasus, boost infrastructure and logistics, as well as to improve the overall situation, and should not include any elements that may raise tensions," Peskov pointed out.

Following the end of military action in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict zone last fall, when seven regions adjacent to Nagorno-Karabakh fell under Azerbaijan’s control, the border between Armenia and Azerbaijan moved to the immediate vicinity of the Syunik and Gegharkunik Provinces. Tensions rose there on May 12. Then, the Armenian Defense Ministry announced that the Azerbaijani Armed Forces had attempted to carry out "certain activities" in the Syunik Province in a bid to "redefine the border," moving it 3.5 kilometers into Armenian territory. The Azerbaijani forces ceased their activities after the Armenian Armed Forces took measures in response, the ministry said. Still, both parties continue to report border incidents. On May 27, Azerbaijan said that it had captured six Armenian servicemen during an attempt to cross the border in order to carry out subversive activities. Armenia confirmed that the servicemen had been captured yet emphasized that at the time they had been involved in engineering works in the border area of the country’s Gegharkunik Province.