Reuters: Turkey insists on its own observation post in Azerbaijan

Reuters: Turkey insists on its own observation post in Azerbaijan

PanARMENIAN.Net - Turkey and Russia are at odds over Ankara’s wish to set up an independent military observation post on Azeri territory, after the two agreed this month to monitor a ceasefire in Nagorno-Karabakh, Reuters reports citing a Turkish source familiar with the matter.

Turkey and Russia have already agreed to set up a joint centre in the region to monitor the November 10 ceasefire, which has seen the involvement of some 2,000 Russian peacekeepers to Karabakh. Russian and Turkish officials have still to agree on the parameters of the monitoring mechanism, but Turkey, a staunch ally of Azerbaijan, also wants its own independent observation post to boost its influence in a region it sees as key to its own security.

“The biggest difference of opinion right now is the observation post Turkey will establish on Azerbaijan’s lands,” the Turkish source said, speaking on condition of anonymity. “Russia thinks it is unnecessary for Turkey to establish an observation post in the region independent of the joint centre. However, this is necessary for Turkey.”

The source said talks would continue in Moscow and that Turkey expected eventually to reach a compromise with Russia.

Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, Russian and Azerbaijani Presidents Vladimir Putin and Ilham Aliyev on November 10 signed a statement to end the war in Karabakh after almost 45 days. Under the deal, the Armenian side is returning all the seven regions surrounding Nagorno-Karabakh, having lost a part of karabakh itself in the war.

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