Lavrov: ICRC is quite capable of playing a more active role in  eliminating humanitarian consequences in Nagorno-Karabakh

ArmInfo.Now, thanks to the efforts made, including the deployment of the Russian peacekeeping contingent, the process around the Nagorno-Karabakh problem has  entered a new stage in accordance with the agreements of November 9  between the Presidents of the Russian Federation and Azerbaijan and  the Prime Minister of Armenia.

This was announced on November 17 in  Moscow at a joint press conference with President of the  International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) Peter Maurer, Russian  Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said.

"I think that the cessation of hostilities on the basis of these  agreements, of course, opens up additional opportunities for the work  of the ICRC, which is present in both Armenia and Azerbaijan,  including Nagorno-Karabakh itself. Mr. Maurer and his colleagues will  talk in more detail about the relevant aspects of its work in the  region during its meetings with the RF Ministry of Defense and the  Ministry of Emergencies. We believe that the ICRC is quite capable of  playing an important and increasingly active role in eliminating the  humanitarian consequences of what happened in Nagorno-Karabakh," he  said.

At the same time, the Russian minister added that Moscow is aware of  how the ICRC is working with the parties to assist in the exchange of  bodies of killed servicemen, the exchange of prisoners of war and  detained persons.

According to Lavrov, this is all important from the point of view of  restoring normal relations between people of various ethnic and  confessional convictions.

At the same time, he stressed that Russia expects that other  international humanitarian organizations, primarily UN structures,  will also join.

"I mean the Office of the High Commissioner for Refugees, the Office  for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. And of course, in  Nagorno-Karabakh, the tasks of preserving cultural heritage are acute  and UNESCO could play a role here. In any case, the ICRC has long  been present in the region and its the experience would be useful for  those organizations that have not yet launched their work there. We  proceed from the fact that it is in the interests of all those who  live in Nagorno-Karabakh and around it, the interests of Armenia and  Azerbaijan to have an active and wide international presence there,"  the head of the Russian Foreign Ministry said.