Azerbaijani president Ilham Aliyev noted Russia's special role in the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh [(Artsakh)] conflict, and thanked Russian President Vladimir Putin for his personal participation in this matter, TASS reported.

"I would like to express gratitude to you, Vladimir Vladimirovich [Putin], for your active participation in the settlement process in previous years, especially during the heated phase of the conflict. The fact that the leaders of the three countries [i.e., Armenia, Russia, and Azerbaijan] are signing this document today speaks of the special role of the Russian Federation in the matter of the settlement of this conflict," Aliyev said, expressing a conviction that Russia will play a significant role in normalizing relations between Armenia and Azerbaijan.