Moscow: Only Russian peacekeepers will be deployed in Karabakh

PanARMENIAN.Net - Only Russian peacekeepers will be deployed on the line of contact in Nagorno-Karabakh, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said Tuesday, November 10, amid claims by Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev that Turkish troops will be included in the peacekeeping mission as well.

"An important point that I would like to draw your attention to is the matter of peacekeeping forces. We are talking about the peacekeeping forces of the Russian Federation, when the text of the statement is published, no one will have doubts. I would like to once again draw your attention to the words of the Russian President, we are talking about Russian peacekeepers in the zone, along the line of contact in Nagorno-Karabakh," Zakharova told the Echo of Moscow radio station, RIA Novosti reports.

Russian Senator and head of the International Affairs Committee Konstantin Kosachev said, meanwhile that the peacekeeping operation in the conflict zone in Nagorno-Karabakh is Russian, and "only elements of coordinating activity with Turkey are possible".

"There is consent from Azerbaijan to stop and use the good services of the Russian peacekeepers, there is consent from Armenia, at least from the top officials of Armenia. As of today, we still have to make sure that this consent is accompanied by at least public consent, public consensus," TASS cited Kosachev as saying.

Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, and Russian President Vladimir Putin earlier signed a statement to end the war in Karabakh.

Karabakh (Artsakh) President Arayik Harutyunyan said on Tuesday that he has agreed to the deal signed by Armenia, Russia and Azerbaijan.