TASS, Russia
Jan 13 2021
During the phone conversation, the two foreign ministers touched upon the issues "of Armenian-Russian allied cooperation," the Armenian Foreign Ministry said
YEREVAN, January 13. /TASS/. In a phone conversation with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on Wednesday, Armenian Foreign Minister Ara Aivazian focused on the immediate and complete implementation of the commitments on repatriation of prisoners of war, captives and other detainees enshrined in the trilateral statement of November 9, 2020, the Armenian Foreign Ministry said.
"In the context of the meeting of the leaders of Russia, Armenia and Azerbaijan in Moscow on January 11, the Ministers discussed issues of regional security and stability. Minister Aivazian emphasized the full and immediate implementation of the obligation on the repatriation of the prisoners of war, captives and other detained persons enshrined in the statement of November 9, 2020," the Armenian Foreign Ministry’s press service said.
During the phone conversation, the two foreign ministers touched upon the issues "of Armenian-Russian allied cooperation."
Renewed clashes between Azerbaijan and Armenia erupted on September 27, with intense battles raging in the disputed region of Nagorno-Karabakh. The conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan over the highland region of Nagorno-Karabakh, a disputed territory that had been part of Azerbaijan before the Soviet Union break-up, but primarily populated by ethnic Armenians, broke out in February 1988 after the Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Region announced its withdrawal from the Azerbaijan Soviet Socialist Republic. In 1992-1994, tensions boiled over and exploded into large-scale military action for control over the enclave and seven adjacent territories after Azerbaijan lost control of them.
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. Under the deal, Azerbaijan and Armenia maintained the positions that they had held, some areas were handed over to Baku, and Russian peacekeepers were deployed along the contact line and to the Lachin corridor, which links Nagorno-Karabakh to Armenia.
After Russian peacemakers had been deployed to Nagorno-Karabakh, the situation stabilized, as just one ceasefire violation has been reported since. Tens of thousands of Karabakh residents, who fled their homes over fighting, have come back assisted by the peacekeeping contingent.