YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 9, ARMENPRESS. The Russian peacekeeping contingent in Nagorno Karabakh has a significant contribution to the stabilization of the situation and the provision of security in the region, the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement issued on the first anniversary of the statement signed by the leaders of Russia, Armenia and Azerbaijan on the establishment of ceasefire in Karabakh.

In the statement the Russian foreign ministry said that since December 2, 2020, a total of 122 prisoners of war and persons held have been returned. 105 of them have been returned to Armenia, and 17 to Azerbaijan. Moreover, the Azerbaijani side has been provided with 3 packages of maps of mine fields.

“November 9, 2021, marks the first anniversary of the statement signed by Russian President Vladimir Putin, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev over the stop of all military operations in the Nagorno Karabakh conflict zone. That step allowed to end the bloodshed and start a process of establishing a peaceful life in the region. Today we can state that what has been enshrined by the 2020 November 9 statement, overall, is being implemented. At the same time the fact that Baku and Yerevan keep the commitment to the further implementation of all provisions is important.

The Russian peacekeeping troops have a significant contribution to the stabilization of the situation and the provision of security in the region. This is appreciated by our Armenian and Azerbaijani partners. With the participation of the Russian peacekeepers, a total of 122 prisoners of war and persons held have been returned since December 2, 2020. 105 of them have been returned to Armenia, and 17 to Azerbaijan. Moreover, the Azerbaijani side has been provided with 3 packages of maps of mine fields.

Humanitarian aid has been regularly delivered to the region, the territories have been demined, the infrastructure has been restored. 53,000 people returned back to their homes. The Russian emergency situations ministry has delivered 1581 tons of humanitarian cargo and 800 tons of construction material to the region since December 2020.

We continue our efforts to overcome the remaining humanitarian challenges as soon as possible, including the release of all persons held, as well as to reveal the fates of all those missing, transfer the bodies of the dead and completely provide the reliable maps of mine fields. Ensuring the security of historical-cultural and religious heritage is also relevant.

We plan to consistently solve with our partners the issue of unblocking all economic and transportation communications in South Caucasus, as it is enshrined in the 2021 January 11 statement of the leaders of Russia, Armenia. We highly appreciate the activity of the trilateral working group jointly chaired by the Russian, Armenian and Azerbaijani deputy prime ministers. We highlight the need for the early launch of concrete projects based on balanced interests which would contribute to revealing the economic and transportation potential of South Caucasus.

We attach importance to the ease of tension on the Armenian-Azerbaijani state border and the launch of its demarcation and delimitation process as soon as possible. We are ready to assist with the necessary consulting.

We consider important to continue the efforts within the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairmanship, firstly in the context of solving the region’s socio-economic and humanitarian issues.

We will do everything to contribute to the settlement of the relations between Armenia and Azerbaijan, support the peaceful initiatives, expansion of contacts at all levels and to the security and economic development of South Caucasus. We are also ready to contribute to the dialogue between the representatives of the Armenian and Azerbaijani publics with the participation of Russia aimed at creating an atmosphere of trust between the Armenian and Azerbaijani peoples.

We support the formation of friendly relations between the countries of South Caucasus and their neighbors, as well as the development of mutually beneficial regional cooperation”, the Russian foreign ministry’s statement says.

Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan