BAKU

The Azerbaijani government on Saturday sent fuel to meet the needs of the Armenian residents in the Karabakh region of Azerbaijan, according to the country’s presidential administration.

Fuel-loaded vehicles belonging to the Azerbaijan State Oil Company (SOCAR) moved to the region from the Aghdam-Khankandi direction.

During the first round of talks between Azerbaijani officials and representatives of the Armenian population in Karabakh on Thursday, fuel and food were requested from the Azerbaijani government.

The Azerbaijani presidential administration had announced that fuel would be sent soon for the heating systems of kindergartens and schools, as well as emergency medical services and fire services in the regions where the Armenian population lives.

Azerbaijan on Wednesday suspended its counter-terrorism measures, a day after they were launched to disarm Armenian forces in Karabakh and uphold the 2020 trilateral peace agreement.

Relations between Baku and Yerevan have been tense since 1991, when the Armenian military occupied Karabakh, a territory internationally recognized as part of Azerbaijan, and seven adjacent regions.

In the fall of 2020, Azerbaijan liberated several cities, villages, and settlements from Armenian occupation during 44 days of clashes. The war ended with a Russia-brokered cease-fire, and talks for normalization of ties began.

*Writing by Seda Sevencan