Russia says will help Yerevan if clashes transfer to Armenia

PanARMENIAN.Net - Russia will provide Yerevan with all the necessary assistance under the Treaty of Friendship, Cooperation and Mutual Assistance if clashes in Nagorno-Karabakh are transferred directly on the territory of Armenia, the Russian Foreign Ministry said Saturday, October 31.

The statement came hours after Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan sent a letter to Russian President Vladimir Putin to begin urgent consultations to determine the types and the amount of assistance that Russia can provide to Armenia to ensure its security.

"We once again call for an immediate ceasefire in Nagorno-Karabakh, de-escalation of tension and return to substantive negotiations in order to achieve a peaceful settlement based on basic principles in line with the agreements reached by the foreign ministers of Russia, Azerbaijan and Armenia in Moscow on October 10," the Foreign Ministry said.

Azerbaijan, with help from Turkey and Syrian and Libyan mercenaries deployed by Ankara, started a war against Karabakh (Artsakh) in the morning of September 27. The Armenian side has reported deaths and injuries both among the civilian population and the military. Foreign and local journalists too have been injured in Azeri shelling of towns and villages.