BAKU. Nov 23 (Interfax) - Azerbaijan has many photo and video documents indicating that foreign mercenaries fought on the side of the self-proclaimed Nagorno-Karabakh Republic, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev said.
"Armenia actively used foreign mercenaries. We have many photo and video documents indicating that foreign mercenaries fought on the side of Armenia, including citizens of France, the United States, Lebanon, Canada, Georgia and other countries. Some of these countries are of Armenian origin and some are not. Bu that doesn't change the essence of the issue as the fighting of foreign mercenaries on the side of Armenia is, of course, unacceptable," Aliyev said while meeting with Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu in Baku on Saturday.
"Despite that, everyone knows the outcome of the military operation. The Azerbaijani army won a wonderful victory and we thus went to the stage of political settlement. Yesterday, the Azerbaijani army entered the city of Agdam and a part of the Agdam district, which was occupied. Thus, the conditions of the Statement are fulfilled," the president said.
Aliyev also said Azerbaijan welcomes the installation of the Russian peacekeeping forces in Karabakh.
"This mission is actively working with our relevant structures and, as we know, with the Armenian structures. I believe it is an important factor for stabilization of the situation and there have not been any serious ceasefire breaches since the moment the Statement was signed, and I hope there will not be any," Aliyev said.
"We also welcome active talks between Russia and Turkey on the creation of a center to monitor the ceasefire on the territory of Azerbaijan. We believe it is a very important element for strengthening stability and security in the region. We thank the administration of Turkey and personally President Recep Tayyip Erdogan for involvement in the creation of preconditions for a ceasefire. Russia and Turkey - two friendly countries to us, two neighbors of ours - will be involved in observing the ceasefire and its control. That indicates the strengthening of the format of interaction between our two neighboring countries, and also in the framework of regional cooperation. I hope that our plans on a ceasefire and normalization of relations with Armenia - if they are taken positively by Armenia - may create new conditions for cooperation, stability and security in the region. That will benefit everyone," Aliyev said.
Azerbaijan began an offensive in Nagorno-Karabakh on September 27. The presidents of Russia and Azerbaijan and the prime minister of Armenia on November 9 adopted a statement declaring a full ceasefire in Nagorno-Karabakh starting from 00:01 a.m. on November 10. The units of the Azerbaijani and Armenian armed forces stayed on the occupied positions.
Russia and Turkey agreed on the creation on the territory of Azerbaijan of a joint center to monitor the ceasefire in Nagorno-Karabakh.
A Russian peacekeeping contingent was installed in Nagorno-Karabakh under the statement.
The trilateral statement envisages the transfer to Azerbaijan of the Agdam district by November 20, of the Kalbajar district by November 25 and of the Lachin district by December 1.