NATO Special Representative on deployment of Russian peacekeepers in Azerbaijan

The security situation in the region (South Caucasus) has changed dramatically, NATO Secretary General’s Special Representative for the Caucasus and Central Asia James Appathurai said in an interview with a Georgian TV.

Appathurai thanked Georgia for the critical role it played in the humanitarian agreement between Azerbaijan and Armenia, Report informs. According to him, it showed how significant Georgia’s contribution to regional security is.

The NATO representative noted that after the Karabakh war, the Russian military presence at the Georgian borders has expanded.

The events after the war in Nagorno-Karabakh did not improve the security situation in Georgia, he said, noting that currently, Russian troops are in Azerbaijan, which means the number of Russian troops has increased near the borders of Georgia.

“I think that Azerbaijan also perceives the presence of the Russian military as temporary. As far as I know, it is for a five-year period. We will discuss this situation with our Georgian colleagues,” he added.

James Appathurai is on a visit to Georgia.