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Russian President Vladimir Putin during a video conference call with members of security council, November 6, 2020. /Reuters
Russian President Vladimir Putin discussed the conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh in a telephone call with his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron, the Kremlin said on Saturday.
The two leaders expressed serious concern over the large-scale clashes between ethnic Armenian and Azeri forces in the region and the involvement of fighters from Syria and Libya in the conflict. Putin informed Macron of the steps Russia had taken towards implementing a ceasefire and ensuring the sides negotiate a solution to the crisis. He also expressed the desire to continue coordinated mediation efforts, including through the OSCE Minsk Group, set up in 1992 to mediate a peaceful resolution.
Meanwhile, Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan told Vladimir Putin on Saturday that Armenia must be convinced to negotiate in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict with Azerbaijan and called for a peaceful resolution. In a statement, the presidency said Erdogan told Putin that Armenia must withdraw from Azeri lands it is occupying and "stated the Armenian leadership must be convinced to sit down at the negotiating table."
Military volunteers pray in the damaged Ghazanchetsots Cathedral in the historic city of Shusha./AFP
At least 1,000 people have died in nearly six weeks of fighting in and around Nagorno-Karabakh, a mountainous enclave internationally recognized as part of Azerbaijan but populated and controlled by ethnic Armenians.
The conflict has underlined the influence of Turkey, an ally of Azerbaijan, in a former Soviet region long dominated by Moscow, which has a defense pact with Armenia. It also threatens the security of Azeri oil and gas pipelines.
Erdogan has previously said Turkey and Russia could work together to solve the conflict.
In a separate statement, the Kremlim said Putin had informed Erdogan about his phone calls with the leaders of Azerbaijan and Armenia, adding "these exchanges were focused on finding options for a swift cessation of hostilities and a political and diplomatic settlement."
"A mutual readiness to cooperate in order to achieve a peaceful resolution to the conflict was confirmed," it said.
Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu also held a phone call with Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov to discuss the issue, the Turkish foreign ministry said.
Three ceasefires have failed to halt the bloodiest fighting in the South Caucasus for more than 25 years. Both sides accused each other of launching attacks within hours of the agreements.
(With inputs from agencies)
