Russia, Turkey Agree Creation of Nagorno-Karabakh Ceasefire Monitoring Center
The Russian and Turkish defense ministers signed an agreement on Wednesday on the establishment of a joint ceasefire control center in Nagorno-Karabakh.
"The memorandum of creation of a joint Russian-Turkish center for ceasefire supervision in Nagorno-Karabakh has been signed following videoconference talks between Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu and his Turkish counterpart Hulusi Akar, the Russian Defense Ministry reported Wednesday," news agency TASS reports.
The memorandum sets out the goals and principles of the joint supervision center.
According to Shoigu, the agreements reached by the presidents of Russia and Azerbaijan, the Armenian Prime Minister and the deployment of Russian peacekeepers to the conflict zone made it possible to stop hostilities, end the bloodshed, and lay down conditions to returning to a peaceful life.
"The 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 the exercising of 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, and assessing data from other sources. The center will become a body for considering any complaints, issues or problems regarding violation of the agreements reached," reports TASS.
On November 10, Armenia, Azerbaijan and Russia signed an agreement to end the military conflict over the disputed region of Nagorno-Karabakh.
The new ceasefire agreement prompted anger in Armenia, with protesters storming Parliament and calling Armenian PM Pashinyan "traitor."
By Ana Dumbadze
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