Azerbaijan expects Russia's help in normalizing situation in the region

PanARMENIAN.Net - Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev has said his country expects further interaction with Russia to normalize the situation in the South Caucasus region.

"We very much look forward to continuing, in cooperation with Russia – our strategic partner – to actively work to normalize the situation in the region," Aliyev said at a meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on Monday, May 10.

"From the military viewpoint, we can consider the situation normalized, but there is a lot to be done in economic, transport and other aspects of future interaction. We naturally expect that Russia, as our friend, strategic partner, neighbor, as a country whose peacekeepers are currently on the territory of Azerbaijan, will continue to help reduce tensions."

Aliyev said Azerbaijan is working to restore transport infrastructure in the region after the end of hostilities in Karabakh.

Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, Russian and Azerbaijani Presidents Vladimir Putin and Ilham Aliyev on November 9 signed a statement to end the war in Karabakh after almost 45 days. Under the deal, the Armenian side has returned all the seven regions surrounding Nagorno-Karabakh, having lost a part of Karabakh itself in hostilities.