Putin, Aliyev and Pashinyan sign declaration on ceasefire in Nagorno-Karabakh

Moscow (ST): The Kremlin announced that Russian President Vladimir Putin, Azerbaijan President Ilham Aliyev and Armenian prime minister Nikol Pashinyan signed a joint declaration on ceasefire in the disputed  Nagorno-Karabakh district.

In a speech quoted by Russia Today, President Putin said that the ceasefire would take effect as of midnight, clarifying that the declaration provides for the stationing the Azeri and Armenian forces at their current positions and the deployment of Russian peace-keeping forces, adding that the agreement also includes lifting the restriction being imposed on transport, exchange of detainees and the return of the displaced under the supervision of the UNHCR commissioner.

Putin went on to say that the agreement reached would pave the way for settling the conflict on a fair basis in a way that serves the Azeri and Armenian people.

In turn, Aliev expressed satisfaction for reaching this agreement which will be for the good of the two states.

For his part, Pashinyan said that the agreement would pave the way for settling the long-standing dispute peacefully.

K.Q.