Lavrov calls for deployment of Russian military observers to Nagorno Karabakh to ensure ceasefire

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said on October 14 that Russian military observers should be deployed to the Nagorno Karabakh conflict zone in order to ensure the ceasefire. Lavrov stressed that the final decision over the potential deployment is up to the sides of the conflict.

He said at a news briefing that military observers on the ground must decide what specific steps are necessary for this and who should objectively supervise how the sides are adhering to the ceasefire.

Lavrov said he has been in contact over the issue with his Armenian and Azerbaijani counterparts, and that the Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoygu has also contacted his counterparts in Yerevan and Baku.

He said the October 9-10 talks around the ceasefire were “unique” and that President of Russia Vladimir Putin had his contribution at a decisive point of the talks and called him. Lavrov added that Shoygu joined the talks then and said that the establishment of a ceasefire won’t be enough if verification mechanisms won’t be installed.

According to Lavrov, it is possible to achieve a political solution to the Nagorno Karabakh conflict, but this requires the agreements to be maintained on the ground.