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Security of peacekeepers in Karabakh a priority for Russia — Kremlin spokesman

It is reported that the existing agreements are sufficient for settlement in Karabakh

MOSCOW, September 19. /TASS/. There has been no information about the threat to life of Russian peacekeepers in Nagorno-Karabakh yet, the peacekeepers work in close contact with all sides, Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters.

"Our forces stay in direct contact with the sides. All communication happens mostly via the military. So far, we have received no information that anything that could threaten lives of our peacekeepers has happened. Of course, this [security] is an important priority for us," Peskov said.

According to the spokesman, the existing agreements are sufficient for settlement in Karabakh.

"There is a rather significant basis for settlement that is being implemented - three documents. The achievement to return [the situation] to a political-diplomatic track can and must be achieved based on these three documents. Thus, so far, we focus on them," the spokesman concluded.

On Tuesday, the Ministry of Defense of Azerbaijan announced the beginning of local counter-terrorist events in Nagorno-Karabakh. The Ministry specified that the operation’s goal is to ensure the implementation of the November 9, 2020, trilateral statement of the leaders of Russia, Armenia and Azerbaijan, disarmament and withdrawal of Armenian forces from this territory.

In turn, Yerevan claimed that Baku seeks to "complete the policy of ethnic cleansing," adding that there are no Armenian forces in Karabakh. Russia called on both sides to stop the bloodshed and to return to political-diplomatic settlement.

Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said that Russia currently engages in contacts on the situation in Nagorno-Karabakh, including with the Azerbaijani side, adding that the Foreign Ministry will make a statement on the outcome of these contacts. She underscored that Moscow is deeply concerned over the abrupt escalation in Nagorno-Karabakh and calls on the conflicting sides to stop the bloodshed and to return to diplomatic settlement of the conflict.