The Situation in Artsakh Stabilized, Minor Incidents are Quickly Resolved by Russian Peacekeepers - Lavrov

The situation on the ground in Artsakh has stabilized, and minor incidents are quickly and effectively managed by Russian peacekeepers. This was stated today by the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation Sergey Lavrov, as reported by RIA Novosti.

“We are observing positive trends in the process of stabilizing the situation in Artsakh. The situation on the ground has significantly stabilized. The Russian peacekeeping forces act as a guarantor of security, deployed along the contact line and the Lachin corridor. Minor incidents, without which likely no actions could take place, are promptly and effectively resolved by our peacekeeping forces. They are also continuously focusing on the completion of the prisoner exchange process,” Lavrov said during a meeting with the acting Minister of Foreign Affairs of Armenia Ara Ayvazyan.

At the same time, Lavrov emphasized that the trilateral working group at the level of deputy prime ministers is “actively and rhythmically working, and they are interested in continuing this work to facilitate dialogue between Baku and Yerevan, ensuring stable economic development in the South Caucasus.”

For his part, Ayvazyan noted that during Lavrov's visit, the ministers had “already discussed several issues related to the resolution of the Artsakh conflict.”

“In this context, we attach importance to creating conditions for resuming the peaceful process under the auspices of the OSCE Minsk Group. The most important issue is to ensure that Azerbaijan releases all prisoners of war and those unlawfully detained; this issue should be resolved as quickly as possible, as evidenced by numerous reports of ongoing crimes,” Ayvazyan added.

In addition, the acting Minister of Foreign Affairs emphasized that equally pressing are issues concerning the return of refugees to their homes, providing humanitarian assistance to the population, as well as creating conditions for the recovery of the economy of Artsakh and unblocking transport communications.