Russia played an important role in the settlement of the conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan in Nagorno-Karabakh, Belarus President Aleksandr Lukashenko said today during the meeting with Russian Minister of Foreign Affairs Sergey Lavrov in Minsk.
"Largely thanks to Russia, this bloodshed has stopped, that people are not longer dying there," RIA Novosti cited the Belarusian leader as saying.
"The process, though still at its nascent stage, towards the normalization of relations in the Caucasus has begun is a very positive and good sign," Lukashenko said.
On November 9, 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. The Russian leader said the Azerbaijani and Armenian sides would remain on the positions they hold and Russian peacekeepers would be deployed to the region. Besides, Armenia and Azerbaijan should carry out the exchange of prisoners of war and the bodies of those killed. Aghdam region will be returned to Azerbaijan before November 20, Kelbajar region - before November 15, Lachin region - before December 1. Later, Baku gave Yerevan postponement for troops withdrawal from Kelbajar until November 25.
