Azerbaijan, Russia discuss future of peacekeepers in Karabakh

Russian Ambassador to Azerbaijan Mikhail Yevdokimov has said that Russia and Azerbaijan are coordinating the dates of the next round of negotiations on the Russian peacekeeping contingent in Karabakh.

He made the remarks in an interview with the Izvestia newspaper.

"Now the dates of the next round of negotiations between Moscow and Baku on our peacekeeping contingent are being coordinated with the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry," he said, recalling that the term of stay of Russian peacekeepers in the Karabakh region of Azerbaijan expires in 2025.

Yevdokimov pointed out that after Baku regained control over the entire territory of the region, the role of the peacekeeping contingent changed.

"Now, after the completion of the counter-terrorist operation, Russian peacekeepers together with Azerbaijani forces are patrolling the territory, guarding buildings and cultural facilities," the diplomat specified.

The ambassador pointed out that after Baku regained control over the entire territory of the region, the role of the peacekeeping contingent changed.

"Now, after the completion of the counter-terrorist operation, Russian peacekeepers together with Azerbaijani forces are patrolling the territory, guarding buildings and cultural facilities," the diplomat specified.

Meanwhile, the Russian ambassador said Armenia is delaying negotiations on the creation of the transportation corridor to the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic.

"For various, not very clear reasons, the Armenian side delays negotiations on the creation of a transportation corridor between the main territory of Azerbaijan and Nakhchivan."

The diplomat emphasized that this topic is very important for the Azerbaijani side: "This is the availability of a stable transportation route, transportation routes between the main territory of Azerbaijan and Nakhchivan. During the first Karabakh war, all communications were interrupted, electricity supply to Nakhchivan was cut off. Therefore, the safety of the route [about 46 kilometres long] is not an abstract issue for Azerbaijan".

According to the ambassador, there are tunnels and a bridge on this route: "The Russian Federation was ready to restore it quite quickly at its own expense. For various reasons that are not very clear to me, the Armenian side is delaying the negotiations.

As a result, last year Baku and Tehran signed an agreement on the construction of a railroad through Iran. There is a little more - 60 km and something, the route is more complicated, but these works are already underway. For all these years, road freight transportation between Azerbaijan and Nakhchivan went through the territory of Iran, and by the same route to Türkiye.

The main thing now is to build railway tracks from Türkiye to Nakhchivan, a double track - European and Soviet - is planned. Accordingly, we will be able to transport cargo to Türkiye from Russia via Azerbaijan, Iran and Nakhchivan.

In addition, talking about Russia’s possible support for the peace deal between Armenia and Azerbaijan, the ambassador underlined: "The Karabakh issue is closed. All these years Russia has been making efforts to solve the Karabakh problem peacefully. Unfortunately, it didn't work out: the issue was closed in September with a military operation. The Russian Federation always plays a very important role in the settlement. Russia is ready to provide maximum support in negotiations on a peace treaty between the two sides.”

"Now Armenia and Azerbaijan are directly exchanging drafts of the peace treaty. I think the Azerbaijani side is proposing absolutely justified, standard wordings and articles that, as a rule, peace treaties between the parties include. And, in principle, based on the proposals made by Baku, I think it is possible to finalise these negotiations quite quickly. We are ready to provide the Moscow platform, we are ready, if necessary, to provide our expertise, our advice on the text. We have very good cooperation with our Azerbaijani colleagues here," the diplomat said.