Turkey, Russia to jointly monitor Karabakh ceasefire, Erdogan says

ANKARA, November 10. /TASS/. Presidents of Russia and Turkey Vladimir Putin and Recep Tayyip Erdogan conducted a phone conversation on Tuesday discussing the situation in Nagorno-Karabakh and Syria, the Directorate of Communications of the Turkish President told journalists. "President Erdogan during the talks noted that yesterday a step in the right direction was made on the path to the permanent settlement in Nagorno-Karabakh. President Erdogan stated that Turkey together with Russia will also conduct observing and monitoring activity over ceasefire using a joint center which will be created in a region determined by Azerbaijan in a territory liberated from Armenian occupation," the communique made public after the conversation said. Erdogan also "stressed the importance of the return of Azerbaijanis who were forced to leave Karabakh due to Armenian invasion and of opening a corridor between Azerbaijan" and the Nakhchivan Autonomous 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 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. The President of Azerbaijan, however, stated that not only Russian but also Turkish peacekeepers would be deployed to Nagorno-Karabakh. Necessity of cooperation Turkey and Russia can use a mechanism in Syria similar to the one used in order to settle the situation in Nagorno-Karabakh, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said during a phone conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin. "The situation in Nagorno-Karabakh demonstrates the necessity of cooperation between Turkey and Russia in settling regional conflicts and crises. President Erdogan noted that it is necessary to adhere to the same spirit of cooperation in the Syrian crisis as well, and here (in Syria - TASS) a similar mechanism can be established," the communique by the Directorate of Communications of the Turkish President made public after the conversation said. Read more