Conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh: Now Azerbaijan and Armenia are negotiating

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Following the recent fighting over the Nagorno-Karabakh region in the South Caucasus, the Azerbaijani victors and the defeated Armenians have concluded a first round of negotiations. In the city of Yevlax, “issues of the reintegration of the Armenian population of Karabakh” were discussed, among other things, the presidential government of authoritarian Azerbaijan announced on Thursday. Another meeting should take place soon.

Meanwhile, the leadership of the internationally unrecognized Nagorno-Karabakh (Artsakh) region accused Azerbaijan of once again violating a ceasefire that only came into effect on Wednesday afternoon. Shots were fired near Stepanakert, the capital of Nagorno-Karabakh. Baku rejected these accusations as “completely false.”

Since Tuesday morning, Azerbaijan has attacked the Nagorno-Karabakh region, which lies within its territory but is predominantly inhabited by Armenians, with rockets and artillery in an attempt to capture it. On Wednesday, the militarily inferior Armenians gave up. Many of them now fear being expelled from their homelands or, if they stay, becoming targets of Azerbaijani violence. According to Armenian media, at least 200 people have been killed and more than 400 injured in the fighting in recent days.

Russian observers agree on “ceasefire”

Russian soldiers stationed in the region and tasked with monitoring a ceasefire agreed in 2020 also took part in the negotiations between Azerbaijanis and Karabakh Armenians. Many Armenians accuse their traditional protective power, Russia, which currently needs its troops mainly for its own war of aggression against Ukraine, of now abandoning them in the face of the latest Azerbaijani aggression.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov spoke on Thursday of “significant progress” – also in view of a possible peace treaty that could be concluded between Armenia and Azerbaijan. However, it is not yet clear when this will happen. At the same time, no discussions are currently planned on a possible resolution of the Azerbaijani blockade of the only Armenian access road to Nagorno-Karabakh.

Negotiations are ongoing

This road, the Lachin Corridor, has been closed by the Azerbaijanis for months. Therefore, a humanitarian catastrophe broke out in Nagorno-Karabakh even before the latest attacks began. During the negotiations in Yevlax, the Azerbaijani side said it promised to supply urgently needed fuel to the region.

According to Moscow, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev has apologized for the deaths of Russian soldiers in Nagorno-Karabakh. The Kremlin said Aliyev had promised a detailed explanation of the incident. The car with the Russian occupants came under fire a day earlier near the town of Dschanjatag. The number of deaths was not officially stated; some Russian media reported that four soldiers had been killed. (SDA)

Source: Blick