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As the battles between Azerbaijani and Armenian forces continued for the fifth day in a row, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan set a condition for a ceasefire, while the Armenian President spoke to the island about his vision for the truce.
On Thursday, President Erdogan renewed his full support for Azerbaijan in its battles with Armenia in the disputed Nagorno Karabakh region.
The Turkish president said that a ceasefire in the region will not be possible unless Armenian forces withdraw from the separatist region and other Azerbaijani lands.
“Achieving a permanent ceasefire in this region depends on the withdrawal of Armenians from every inch of Azerbaijani lands,” Erdogan said in a televised speech.
The Turkish president found it unacceptable for the United States, Russia and France to participate in the efforts to reach a ceasefire, “given that these countries have ignored the problems there for about 30 years.”
He said: “Armenia occupied Karabakh, and massacres were committed against civilians. Those who acted blind, stigmatized and mute in the face of what is happening show the same situation today, and this is a two-sided approach.”
“The words of the parties who silently watch the occupiers and incriminate those who defend their country and those who support it in this way are of no value to us. We will continue to support our Azerbaijani brothers to the best of our ability, based on the principle of a town in two states, “he added.
In a speech to the Turkish Parliament, Erdogan reiterated that Armenia must withdraw from the region in order to achieve lasting peace in the region.
Tripartite declaration
Immediately after the end of Erdogan’s speech, the United States, Russia and France issued a statement calling for an immediate ceasefire between Azerbaijan and the Armenian forces.
The Russian Foreign Ministry said: “Aggressive statements by a third party on Karabakh are not constructive, irresponsible and destabilize the situation in the Caucasus.”
It should be noted that France, Russia and the United States are members of the Minsk Group, which was formed in 1992 to mediate a peaceful solution to the Nagorno Karabakh region.
Armenia wants to calm down
For his part, the President of Armenia told the island that “the international community can only see the matter as ethnic cleansing, and we will not allow a second genocide against us.” “We are ready to accept Russian mediation for dialogue with Azerbaijan,” he added.
The Armenian president stressed that his country does not want to aggravate the conflict and warned “against turning the Caucasus into another Syria.”
He admitted that there are several Armenian volunteers who came from abroad to fight alongside the Armenian forces in the conflict with Azerbaijan. He added: “It is the right of any Armenian to fight alongside Armenia in its conflict with Azerbaijan, and this is normal.”
He accused Turkey of directly intervening in the fighting on the Azerbaijani side “with fighters and drones.”
Field developments
For the fifth day in a row, fighting continues in the Nagorno Karabakh region between the Azerbaijani and Armenian armies on various axes to the north and south.
Azerbaijani military sources confirmed to Al-Jazeera that its forces have made great strides on the Fuzuli front and caused heavy losses among the Armenian forces on the Goran Boy front.
The Azerbaijani Defense Ministry also denied that Armenian forces shot down a plane.
And the Azerbaijan Defense Ministry released video clips showing drone bombardment of military vehicles and convoys that it said were Armenian and headed to the battle fronts.
For its part, the Armenian Defense Ministry said that the situation on the battle fronts with the Azerbaijani side remains tense, and that last night’s battles witnessed mutual bombardment with heavy artillery and missiles.
An Armenian army spokesman said the southern front bordering Iran is witnessing fierce battles between Armenian and Azerbaijani forces.
The Armenian Defense Ministry confirmed that battles with the Azerbaijani army were intensifying on various front lines.
European Summit
Along with the continuing fighting, an extraordinary summit of European Union leaders will be held today and tomorrow in Brussels to discuss the tension in the eastern Mediterranean and relations with Turkey.
European Council President Charles Michel said the goal is to create a space for constructive dialogue with Turkey to achieve stability and security in the region, stressing that this will not be achieved unless Turkey constructively participates.
Michel added that all options are on the table to defend the legitimate interests of the European Union.
German government sources ruled out that the summit would include plans to impose sanctions on Ankara, and European officials also stressed that the issue of sanctions does not enjoy unanimity within the European Union.
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