BAKU, Azerbaijan, April 26. The Joint Turkish-Russian Monitoring Center in Azerbaijan adequately coped with its tasks, First Deputy Minister of Defense and Chief of the General Staff of the Azerbaijani Army, Colonel General Karim Valiyev said, Trend reports.
He made the remark at the center's closure ceremony, organized by the Ministry of Defense of Azerbaijan.
The official reminded that on September 27, 2020, the Azerbaijani army carried out a counter-terrorism operation, suppressing another provocation by the Armenian army.
According to Valiyev, the 2020 second Karabakh war, under the leadership of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev, ended with the complete victory of the Azerbaijani Army and the restoration of the country's territorial integrity.
The Chief of the General Staff emphasized that on November 10, a statement signed by President Ilham Aliyev, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, and President of Russia Vladimir Putin declared a ceasefire regime.
"The joint monitoring center, established in accordance with the memorandum signed between Türkiye and Russia, has contributed to maintaining peace for over three years. As a result of the joint efforts, the center has effectively fulfilled its tasks.
As a result of local anti-terror measures conducted in September 2023 by the Azerbaijani Armed Forces in Karabakh, aimed at establishing full control over the Karabakh economic region of Azerbaijan, the remnants of the Armenian armed forces and Armenian illegal military formations were completely withdrawn from our country's territory. For this reason, the tasks of the joint monitoring center are considered fulfilled," he emphasized.
To note, the joint monitoring center was established in Azerbaijan's Aghdam on January 30, 2021, in order to monitor the ceasefire in Karabakh and prevent violations in accordance with the memorandum signed between Türkiye and Russia.
As a result of local anti-terror measures carried out by the Azerbaijani Armed Forces in Karabakh on September 19–20, 2023, Azerbaijan restored its sovereignty throughout the country. Since the Russian peacekeeping contingent began to leave the Karabakh region a few days ago, the need for the activities of this center has disappeared.
Additionally, on April 18, the Turkish Ministry of National Defense announced the cessation of the center's activity.
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