Paris and Moscow are discussing steps to stop the fighting
Russia, France and America call for an immediate ceasefire in "Karabakh"
A photo released by the Armenian Ministry of Defense from the front line.
■ EPA
A man holds a rocket-propelled grenade that fell in the Nagorno-Karabakh region.
■ AFP
picture
France, Russia and the United States of America called yesterday for an immediate ceasefire between the Azerbaijani forces and those of Armenian origin due to the Nagorno-Karabakh region, and urged the two parties to the conflict to return to negotiations quickly, and Paris and Moscow discussed steps that the Minsk group could take to stop the fighting. While Turkey announced that a ceasefire in the region would not be possible unless the Armenian forces withdrew from the breakaway region, and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan affirmed that the three powers (France, Russia, and America) had failed to reach a permanent solution to the conflict, and were not entitled to Call for a truce.
The presidents of France, Emmanuel Macron, Russia, Vladimir Putin, and America, Donald Trump, said in a joint statement, in their capacity as heads of the Minsk Group of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe: “We call for an immediate cessation of hostilities, and we also call on the leaders of Armenia and Azerbaijan to commit without delay to the resumption of negotiations in good faith. Without preconditions, under the auspices of the co-chairs of the Minsk Group of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe ».
A Kremlin spokesman said that Russian President Vladimir Putin discussed the crisis with the Security Council in his country, and made clear that Putin and Macron discussed steps that the Minsk group could take to stop the fighting.
Russia has also offered to host the foreign ministers of Armenia and Azerbaijan for talks on ending the fighting that erupted last Sunday, reviving a decades-old conflict over the mountain enclave in the South Caucasus region.
The Kremlin said there was no alternative to using "political and diplomatic methods" to solve the crisis.
A source in the French presidency confirmed that Macron and Putin expressed, during a phone call, their concerns about Turkey sending Syrian fighters to the region.
In a related context, the TASS news agency quoted the Kremlin as saying yesterday that the Russian Security Council considers any deployment of fighters from Syria and Libya in the conflict zone between Armenia and Azerbaijan a very dangerous development.
For his part, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced yesterday that a ceasefire in Nagorny Karabakh 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.
Turkey fully supports Azerbaijan in the confrontation, but denies accusations by Armenia that it is providing military support to Baku.
Erdogan explained that the three forces that are trying to solve the conflict through the "Minsk Group" talks have failed to reach a permanent solution to the conflict, and they are not entitled to demand a truce, he said.
He added, "Because America, Russia and France, the so-called Minsk Group, have neglected this problem for nearly 30 years, their request for a ceasefire is unacceptable."
On the field level, Armenian forces said yesterday that they had shot down an Azerbaijani helicopter in the disputed region, which resulted in the downing of the helicopter in Iran.
Azerbaijan was quick to deny that this accident happened.
The Armenian forces said in a statement: “Because of the proximity of the hostilities initiated by Azerbaijan to the border with Iran, unfortunately, the occurrence of such incidents is inevitable,” while the media reported that the Azerbaijani army denied that the Armenian forces shot down one of its aircraft.
The Armenian Ministry of Defense confirmed that the situation is still tense, and that the Azerbaijani forces tried to regroup, but were prevented from doing so.
Armenian sources reported that two Frenchmen working for the French newspaper "Le Monde" were injured during the Azerbaijani bombing of the Armenian town of Martoni, and were taken to hospital.
An Armenian government source said they were in critical condition.
On the other hand, the Azerbaijani Prosecutor's Office said that a bombing by Armenia killed a civilian in the town of Tartar yesterday morning, and severely damaged the train station there.
The clashes began six days ago, and the two sides exchanged accusations about who started the fighting, which is an extension of decades of hostilities.
The region separated in a war that raged between 1991 and 1994, and claimed 30,000 lives, but it is not internationally recognized as an independent republic.
The French Presidency:
"Macron and Putin have expressed their concern about Turkey sending mercenaries to the region."
- A joint statement calling for the resumption of negotiations ... and Erdogan: "The three parties have no right to demand a truce."
Russia offers to host the foreign ministers of Armenia and Azerbaijan for talks on ending the fighting.
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