ANKARA, Nov. 17 (Xinhua) -- The Turkish Parliament Tuesday passed a motion to allow the deployment of Turkish troops in Azerbaijan for monitoring a cease-fire agreement over the Nagorno-Karabakh region.
The motion gives the government a one-year mandate to send the troops whose number will be determined by the president.
The text noted the establishment of a "Joint Center" of Russia and Turkey to observe the cease-fire and said the Turkish Armed Forces personnel and civilian personnel, if required, will participate in the activities of the center.
The motion aims to "fulfill the commitment under the Strategic Partnership and Mutual Assistance Treaty between Azerbaijan and Turkey, the establishment of a cease-fire, prevention of violations, ensuring peace and stability in the region in order to effectively protect the higher interests of Turkey."
The deployment is also considered necessary for Turkey's national interests, said the motion.
Armenia and Azerbaijan have been at loggerheads over the mountainous region of Nagorno-Karabakh since 1988. The latest round of armed conflict broke out in the region in September, causing heavy casualties and property losses.
Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and Russian President Vladimir Putin issued a joint statement on Nov. 10, agreeing on a complete cease-fire in Nagorno-Karabakh.
Russian and Turkish defense ministers later signed a memorandum on the establishment of a joint center to monitor the Azerbaijan-Armenia cease-fire.
