Moscow has reminded Baku that the Lachin corridor connecting Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh (Artsakh) to each other is controlled by Russian peacekeepers, after Azerbaijan criticized French presidential hopeful Valérie Pécresse's December trip to Karabakh.

The official representative of the Russian Foreign Ministry, Maria Zakharova, said on Thursday, January 20 that under Article 6 of a ceasefire statement signed by Armenia, Azerbaijan and Russia, Azerbaijan was supposed to guarantee "traffic safety for civilians, vehicles and goods in both directions along the Lachin corridor."

Zakharova noted that the command of the Russian peacekeeping contingent has determined the procedure for visiting Karabakh, including by foreign citizens, employees of international organizations, missions, areas of the peacekeeping operation.

"This procedure is well known to both the Azerbaijani and Armenian sides. In particular, advance and proper notification of Russian peacekeepers about such trips is required," Zakharova said.

Pécresse visited Armenia in late December and made a trip to Karabakh, accompanied by former European Commissioner and French Foreign Minister Michel Barnier. According to Pécresse, she visited the region because she is concerned about the fate of Christians in the Middle East.

The Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry handed a note to the Chargé d'Affaires of France in Baku, describing the trip as illegal. Azeri President Ilham Aliyev claimed, meanwhile, that Pécresse entered Karabakh "in secret" and that the Azerbaijani authorities would not allow her to leave if they knew about the visit.