It has been 5 years since the signing of the Tripartite Statement that ended the Patriotic War

Today marks the fifth anniversary of the signing of the Trilateral Statement that ended Azerbaijan's 44-day Patriotic War to liberate its territories from occupation.

As reported by BAKU.WS, on the night of November 9-10, 2020, President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev, Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan, and President of Russia Vladimir Putin signed a document on the complete ceasefire and cessation of all military activities in the conflict zone.

The 44-day war, which began on September 27, 2020, in response to yet another military provocation by Armenia, ended on November 9 with the signing of a landmark statement. Azerbaijan achieved a brilliant victory both on the battlefield and at the negotiating table, forcing the aggressor to capitulate and liberate the occupied territories.

In this regard, the President, Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces Ilham Aliyev addressed the Azerbaijani people.

Text of the Trilateral Statement:

"Statement of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, the Prime Minister of the Republic of Armenia and the President of the Russian Federation

We, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev, Prime Minister of the Republic of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan and President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin, declare the following:

1. A complete ceasefire and cessation of all hostilities in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict zone is announced effective from 00:00 Moscow time on November 10, 2020. The Republic of Azerbaijan and the Republic of Armenia, hereinafter referred to as the Parties, shall remain at their current positions.

2. The Aghdam district shall be returned to the Republic of Azerbaijan by November 20, 2020.

3. A peacekeeping contingent of the Russian Federation, consisting of 1,960 servicemen with small arms, 90 armored personnel carriers, and 380 units of automobile and special equipment, shall be deployed along the line of contact in Nagorno-Karabakh and along the Lachin corridor.

4. The peacekeeping contingent of the Russian Federation shall be deployed concurrently with the withdrawal of Armenian armed forces. The duration of the deployment of the peacekeeping contingent of the Russian Federation is 5 years, with automatic extension for subsequent 5-year periods unless either Party declares its intention to terminate this provision 6 months prior to the expiration date.

5. A peacekeeping center shall be deployed to monitor the ceasefire to increase the effectiveness of control over the implementation of agreements by the Parties to the conflict.

6. The Republic of Armenia shall return the Kelbajar district to the Republic of Azerbaijan by November 15, 2020, and the Lachin district by December 1, 2020, while retaining the Lachin corridor (5 km wide), which will remain under the control of the Russian peacekeeping contingent and provide a connection between Nagorno-Karabakh and Armenia without affecting the city of Shusha. By agreement of the Parties, a plan for the construction of a new route along the Lachin corridor shall be determined within the next three years, providing for future redeployment of the Russian peacekeeping contingent to protect this route. The Republic of Azerbaijan shall guarantee the safety of movement along the Lachin corridor for citizens, vehicles, and cargo in both directions.

7. Internally displaced persons and refugees shall return to the territory of Nagorno-Karabakh and adjacent districts under the control of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees.

8. An exchange of prisoners of war, hostages, and other detained persons, and bodies of the dead shall be carried out.

9. All economic and transport links in the region shall be restored. The Republic of Armenia shall guarantee the security of transport connections between the western regions of the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic to organize unimpeded movement of citizens, vehicles, and cargo in both directions. Transport control shall be exercised by the Border Service of the Federal Security Service of Russia.

By agreement of the Parties, the construction of new transport communications linking the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic with the western regions of Azerbaijan shall be ensured."