Moscow making efforts to see peace treaty concluded between Baku, Yerevan - Russian General Staff chief

MOSCOW. Dec 21 (Interfax) - Russia is continuing to work to settle the sharpest disagreements between Armenia and Azerbaijan and ensure the conclusion of a peace treaty between them, Russian Armed Forces General Staff Chief Valery Gerasimov said.

"Russia is making purposeful efforts on the political track to unblock transport routes in the South Caucasus, have a peace treaty concluded between Baku and Yerevan, and settle the sharpest Armenian-Azerbaijani disagreements," Gerasimov said at a press briefing for foreign defense attaches on Thursday.

Russian troops are continuing to perform their duties in Nagorno-Karabakh, Gerasimov said. "The situation in the South Caucasus remains tense but is seeing a steady trend toward stabilization," he said.

During the fighting in Karabakh, Russian peacekeepers provided accommodation to over 10,000 civilians at their stationing sites and later arranged for safe departure to Armenia for virtually all of the region's population, Gerasimov said.