Azerbaijani, Russian presidents discuss situation in state border

By Azernews

By Akbar Mammadov

Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin have discussed the situation in the Russian-Azerbaijani border, the presidential website reported on June 18.

During the telephone conversation, the presidents exchanged views on the current situation at the border of the two states and agreed to give additional instructions to the relevant government agencies to resolve the situation.

Regarding that, President Aliyev said that since his telephone conversation with the Russian President on May 18 this year, about 700 Azerbaijani citizens have been repatriated from Russia through the Samur checkpoint, and about 1,000 Azerbaijani citizens by land and air within a month.

The Azerbaijani president also informed Putin that his pre-planned participation in the military parade in Moscow dedicated to the 75th anniversary of the Victory was not possible in connection with the extension of quarantine measures in Azerbaijan.

Azerbaijan will be represented in the parade by the Defense Minister and 75 military servicemen of the Azerbaijani Army.

On June 16, Azerbaijan repatriated 155 citizens stranded on the border with the Dagestan Republic of the Russian Federation due to the lockdown over COVID-19.

It should be noted the problem related to the citizens of Azerbaijan stranded on the borders were discussed between the presidents of the two countries on May 18, who agreed on step-by-step repatriation of citizens across the border. Under the agreement, every 15 days, the embassies prepare lists of citizens wishing to return.

According to the weekly schedule, 120 people crossed Samur checkpoint on May 19, 131 people on May 26, 122 people on June 2 and 130 people on June 9.

Presidential aide Hikmet Hajiyev said on June 16 that Azerbaijan has repatriated 2,976 citizens from Russia.

Azerbaijani citizens stranded on the border are staying in temporary tents set up in Dagestan.

Azerbaijan closed its borders with Russia over COVID-19 on March 18.