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In the worst escalation of violence in years in the South Caucasus region of Nagorno-Karabakh, with hundreds dead, Armenia and Azerbaijan agreed to a ceasefire. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov announced in Moscow that it should start at noon on Saturday. The Russian ministry released a statement on Saturday night.
The ceasefire should be used to exchange prisoners of war and other incarcerated people and to deliver the bodies of dead soldiers to their homeland, he said. More details on the ceasefire should also be agreed. Fundamental peace negotiations must take place under the leadership of the so-called Minsk Group of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE). The group is led by Russia, the United States and France, which are mediating in the conflict.
Ten hour negotiation
Negotiations on the ceasefire in Moscow between Foreign Ministers Jeyhun Bayramov and Sohrab Mnazakanjan of the warring neighbors lasted more than ten hours. Kremlin chief Vladimir Putin had previously urged both countries for a ceasefire.
For almost two weeks there have been new fighting with hundreds of deaths in Nagorno-Karabakh. The fighting continued on Friday. The capital Stepanakert was also fired on with rockets again, Azerbaijan claims to have captured nine villages. A total of 320 Armenian soldiers have died in Nagorno-Karabakh since the beginning of the fighting. Azerbaijan has yet to provide any information on its own victims, but it does speak of some 30 civilians killed. There are thousands of refugees in the troubled region.
Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev called the meeting in Moscow the “last chance” for a peaceful solution. However, the conflict must first be ended militarily. Only later could one speak of a permanent political solution. Armenia must give up Nagorno-Karabakh.
Turkey backed down
In a war that followed the collapse of the Soviet Union some 30 years ago, Azerbaijan lost control of the area. Nagorno-Karabakh is now inhabited by Karabakh-Armenian Christians. Since 1994 there has been a fragile ceasefire.
Azerbaijan is receiving support from Turkey in the conflict. They are also said to be involved in fighting foreign mercenaries and fighters from jihadist groups from war zones in Syria and Libya. So far there is no clear evidence.
Russia has diplomatic and economic ties with both former Soviet republics. However, those in Armenia are more intense. Russia also has a military base there. (apa)
