The Kremlin pointed out that the talks touched upon a range of pressing bilateral issuesMOSCOW, February 17. /TASS/. Russian President Vladimir Putin and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan discussed the implementation of agreements on Nagorno-Karabakh, the Kremlin said on Wednesday.

"[They] discussed practical issues of the implementation of the statement of the leaders of Russia, Armenia and Azerbaijan on Nagorno-Karabakh of November 9, 2020, along with the agreements reached at the trilateral summit in Moscow on January 11, 2021," the statement says.

The Kremlin pointed out that the talks touched upon a range of pressing bilateral issues.

"It was agreed to continue contacts at various levels," the Kremlin added.

In the meantime, the Armenian government’s press service said that the leaders touched upon the return of prisoners of war.

"In particular, the need for early repatriation of prisoners of war, hostages and other detainees was stressed on both sides," the Armenian cabinet’s press service said in a statement, adding that the two leaders also focused on bilateral cooperation and further development of allied cooperation.



Karabakh agreements

Renewed clashes between Azerbaijan and Armenia erupted on September 27, with intense battles raging in the disputed region of Nagorno-Karabakh. The conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan over the highland region of Nagorno-Karabakh, which had been part of Azerbaijan before the Soviet Union break-up, but primarily populated by ethnic Armenians, broke out in February 1988 after the Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Region announced its withdrawal from the Azerbaijan Soviet Socialist Republic. In 1992-1994, tensions boiled over and exploded into large-scale military action for control over the enclave and seven adjacent territories after Azerbaijan lost control of them.

On November 9, 2020 Russian President Vladimir Putin, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan signed a joint statement on a complete ceasefire in Nagorno-Karabakh starting from November 10. Under the deal, Azerbaijan and Armenia maintained the positions that they had held, Baku took control of some of the districts, and Russian peacekeepers were deployed along the contact line and to the Lachin corridor, which links Nagorno-Karabakh to Armenia.

After Russian peacemakers had been deployed to Nagorno-Karabakh, the situation stabilized, as just one ceasefire violation has been reported since. Tens of thousands of Karabakh residents, who fled their homes over fighting, have come back assisted by the peacekeeping contingent.

On January 11, Putin, Aliyev and Pashinyan held talks in Moscow, initiated by the Russian leader. After the four-hour summit, they signed a joint statement establishing a working group chaired by deputy prime ministers of the three countries, which should focus on mending the transport and economic ties in the region.