MOSCOW, November 11. /TASS/. The memorandum of creation of a joint Russian-Turkish center for ceasefire supervision in Nagorno-Karabakh has been signed following the videoconference talks between Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu and his Turkish counterpart Hulusi Akar, the Russian Defense Ministry reported Wednesday.
"The memorandum of creation of a joint Russian-Turkish center for ceasefire and end of all hostilities monitoring in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict zone was signed following the talks," the defense agency noted. The memorandum sets out goals and principles of the joint supervision center.
According to Shoigu, the agreements reached by the presidents of Russia and Azerbaijan and Armenian prime minister as well as deployment of Russian peacekeepers to the conflict zone made it possible to stop hostilities, end bloodshed and lay down conditions to return to peaceful life.
"Presence of Russian peacekeepers will ensure stability in the crisis region, stop flows of refugees and will facilitate their return to places of residencies," the Russian minister stressed. He also added, "the decision to create a joint monitoring center will allow exercising control over compliance with the ceasefire by the parties and will form a strong basis to settle the longstanding conflict."
The center will be located in Azerbaijan. It is noted that the center will collect, summarize and verify information about the implementation of the ceasefire by the parties and other actions that violate the agreements reached. It is also tasked with documenting violations via visual supervision, UAVs as well as assessing data from other sources. The center will become a body for considering any complaints, issues or problems regarding violation of the agreements reached.
Nagorno-Karabakh ceasefire
Renewed clashes between Azerbaijan and Armenia erupted on September 27 with intense battles in the disputed region of Nagorno-Karabakh. 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 the Azerbaijani and Armenian sides would maintain the positions that they had held and Russian peacekeepers would be deployed to the region. Besides, Baku and Yerevan must exchange prisoners and the bodies of those killed.
On November 10, the Azerbaijani leader’s press service reported that Presidents of Azerbaijan and Turkey Ilham Aliyev and Recep Tayyip Erdogan had discussed the Nagorno-Karabakh situation and creation of the "Turkish-Russian peacekeeping center" in the region.
On November 11, Erdogan said that Ankara and Moscow signed a protocol to establish a joint center which will observe the ceasefire in Nagorno-Karabakh.