MOSCOW. Nov 19 (Interfax) - Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov updated his French counterpart Jean-Yves Le Drian on the parameters of Russian peacekeeping forces' engagement in Nagorno-Karabakh in a telephone conversation on November 19, the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement on Thursday.
"Lavrov clarified the parameters of the Russian peacekeeping forces' engagement and the functions of the interagency humanitarian response center," the statement said.
A senior official with the United States Department of State said on Monday, following negotiations between Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Le Drian, that Paris and Washington still had "a lot of questions that needed clarity from the Russians as to the parameters of that agreement, and that included the role of the Turks."
Lavrov and Le Drian "discussed the situation surrounding the Nagorno-Karabakh settlement process resulting from the mediating efforts undertaken by Russia to make sure that the fighting and all military actions in the conflict zone ceased," the statement from the Russian Foreign Ministry said.
The two "highlighted the importance of ensuring the implementation of the provisions of the trilateral statement by the leaders of Russia, Armenia, and Azerbaijan of November 9," it said.
"The ministers agreed that, at the present time, the main priorities are the safe return of internally displaced persons and refugees, the unblocking of all economic and transport communications in the region, the provision of humanitarian aid, and the rebuilding of civil infrastructure," the statement said.
"The Russian and French foreign ministers exchanged opinions on further steps toward a lasting and fully fledged settlement of the crisis surrounding Nagorno-Karabakh in the equal interests of the peoples of Azerbaijan and Armenia, based on the principles agreed upon within the OSCE [Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe] Minsk Group," it said.