NNA -nbsp;Nagorno-Karabakhrsquo;s representatives met with Azerbaijani officials on Thursday for first talks envisaged by a Russian-brokered agreement to stop Azerbaijanrsquo;s latest military offensive in Karabakh launched on Tuesday.
Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyevrsquo;s office described the talks held in Yevlakh, an Azerbaijani town northeast of Karabakh, as ldquo;positiverdquo; and ldquo;constructive,rdquo; saying that they focused on the ldquo;reintegrationrdquo; of Karabakhrsquo;s ethnic Armenian population and its ldquo;activities within the framework of Azerbaijanrsquo;s constitution and laws.rdquo;
It said the two sides agreed on the need for quick implementation of the truce agreement reached after more than 24 hours of fighting. More such talks will be held soon, it added in a statement.
The authorities in Stepanakert said, for their part, that the Yevlakh meeting was ldquo;businesslike.rdquo; ldquo;The parties emphasized that all outstanding issues need to be discussed in a peaceful atmosphere, with readiness to continue the meetings,rdquo; they said without elaborating.
The truce agreement commits the leadership of Karabakh to disbanding and disarming the regionrsquo;s forces. It essentially paves the way for the restoration of full Azerbaijani control over the region. Few of its residents are expected to stay in Karabakh in that case.
Thousands of Karabakh Armenians were displaced by the two-day fighting that left at least 200 Karabakh soldiers and civilians dead. Many of them found shelter at the headquarters of the Russian peacekeeping contingent in Karabakh located about 10 kilometers east of Stepanakert.
According to the Russian Defense Ministry, 1,340 Karabakh civilians, including 607 children, remained there on Thursday. The peacekeepers evacuated many others from Karabakh settlements shelled by the Azerbaijani army.–agenciesnbsp;
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