Nagorno-Karabakh crisis invites itself to UN General Assembly

Armenia demanded this Saturday, September 23 from the rostrum of the United Nations the "immediate" sending to Nagorno-Karabakh of a UN "mission" to monitor the situation on the ground, while Azerbaijan promised that Armenians in the secessionist region would be treated as "equal citizens".

A separatist soldier stands in position in Nagorno-Karabakh and observes the surroundings. (Illustrative image) © Sergei Grits / AP

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The international community should make every effort for the immediate deployment of a UN inter-agency mission to Nagorno-Karabakh to monitor and assess human rights and the humanitarian and security situation on the ground. Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan told the UN General Assembly, repeating accusations of "ethnic cleansing" in the breakaway region.

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Unfortunately, we do not have a partner for peace, but a country that openly declares that the reason of the strongest is the best and uses force constantly to disrupt the peace process," he added, adding that the timing of the lightning offensive launched earlier this week by Azerbaijan was not "accidental" in the middle of the UN General Assembly. "The message is clear: you can talk about peace and we can go to war, and you will not be able to change anything," the minister stressed.

Majority Armenians would be treated as "equal citizens"

A few hours earlier, from the same rostrum, his Azerbaijani counterpart promised that Armenians, the majority in Nagorno-Karabakh, would be treated as "equal citizens". "The Constitution, Azerbaijan's national legislation and the international commitments we have undertaken are a solid basis for this goal," reassured Dzheyhoun Bayramov.

Azerbaijan launched an operation earlier this week in this breakaway region populated mainly by Armenians, winning a lightning victory. Armenian separatists agreed on Friday, September 22 to lay down their arms.

This mountainous enclave, which had been attached in 1921 by the Soviet power to Azerbaijani territory, had in the past been the scene of two wars between the former Soviet republics of Azerbaijan and Armenia: one from 1988 to 1994 – causing 30,000 deaths – and the other in autumn 2020 – causing 6,500 deaths. "We continue to believe that there is a historic opportunity for Azerbaijan and Armenia to establish good-neighborly relations and coexist side by side in peace," Zheyhoun Bayramov said.

Russia accuses Armenia of 'adding fuel to the fire'

Speaking on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov accused some Western powers of "pulling the strings" in this crisis to undermine Russian influence. And "unfortunately, from time to time, Armenian leaders have added fuel to the fire," he said.

In 2020, the 2020 ceasefire, signed under the auspices of Moscow, was followed by the deployment of a contingent of Russian peacekeepers. This week, Armenian protesters gathered outside the Russian embassy in Yerevan, denouncing its inaction to prevent the Azerbaijani armed offensive.

Lavrov, however, expressed confidence that Armenians would "remember their history" and remain "linked to Russia and other friendly states in the region rather than to those who intervene from abroad." He referred to the Alma Ata Accords of 1991, which established the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), which brings together former Soviet republics, including Armenia and Azerbaijan. This statement "meant that Nagorno-Karabakh is part of Azerbaijan, it's as simple as that."

" READ ALSO Ceasefire in Nagorno-Karabakh: Armenia organizes itself in the face of a possible arrival of civilians

(

With AFP)

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  • Azerbaijan
  • Armenia
  • Nagorno-Karabakh
  • UN
  • Humanitarian