Vestnik Kavkaza – 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.
“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.
