Yerevan, Minsk Group’s approach obstacle to peace
Armenia’s aggression in the region as well as the ineffectiveness of the Minsk Group’s mediation and approach to finding a concrete solution for the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict are the main causes of recent clashes, experts say
YEREVAN’S aggressive stance is the main reason behind the recent clashes between Armenia and Azerbaijan over the occupied Nagorno-Karabakh region, experts say, as they also state that the inefficiency of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe’s (OSCE) Minsk Group to find a solution to the conflict has further escalated tensions.
The rival Caucasus nations have been locked in a bitter stalemate over the NagornoKarabakh region since the collapse of the Soviet Union. The fiercest clashes between Armenian and Azerbaijani forces in years over the occupied region ignited on Sept. 27. Since then, tensions have continued to escalate, with Turkey firmly standing with Azerbaijan. Speaking to Daily Sabah, French historian Maxime Gauin said that when Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian came to power, he was believed to be ready to evacuate all or part of the occupied territories, in exchange for money.
“But, more recently, his declarations, repudiating the principles theoretically accepted by his predecessors, praising Nazi war criminal Karekin Nzhdeh, and even more, his actions, especially the attack against Azerbaijan in July, with the clear aim to damage the BakuTbilisi-Ceyhan (BTC) pipeline, made impossible the very idea of negotiating with him,” he explained. Gauin also said that the deterioration of relations between Moscow and Yerevan since 2018 and the weakening of the Iranian regime made Armenia’s situation more problematic.
“In other words, Pashinian reached a peak of aggressiveness just at the moment when he needed diplomacy, prudence and softness above all. The last provocation by the Armenian Army provoked a large-scale Azerbaijani counteroffensive to retake the occupied territories,” he said. Gauin also described the role of the Minsk Group since its establishment as “morally bankrupt.” “It is interesting only for historians of diplomatic failures. It achieved exactly nothing in 28 years. Not a single square kilometer was evacuated by Armenians thanks to the Minsk Group,” he explained.
The OSCE Minsk Group, co-chaired by France, Russia and the U.S., was formed in 1992 to find a peaceful solution to the conflict, but to no avail. A cease-fire, however, was agreed upon in 1994.
DURING night clashes, five Armenian armored vehicles were destroyed and a large number of soldiers killed, it added.
The success in clashes and the liberation of various strategic positions boosted the fighting spirit and determination of the Azerbaijani soldiers, it underlined.
In a separate statement, the ministry said that the Azerbaijani villages of Hindiristan, Alibeyli, Ahmadaghali and Safarli, in the Aghdam region, have faced some intense attacks by Armenian forces, which resulted in civilian deaths and injuries.
Underscoring that Armenia carried out rocket attacks on Azerbaijani territories from the Gorus region, it said Azerbaijan will make the necessary retaliatory response.
The Azerbaijani Armed Forces seized a large number of weapons, ammunition and vehicles belonging to the Armenian military in an operation to liberate its territory under occupation. According to Anadolu Agency (AA), Armenian soldiers fled their positions in the face of the Azerbaijani advance, leaving behind their weapons and military vehicles. Among the seized military vehicles were Russian-made 2019-model Ural trucks. While most of the trucks were still usable, some bore marks from the clashes. Most of the weapons and ammunition, including machine guns, grenades, rocket launchers and bullets of various firearms, were also Russian-made.
The Azerbaijani forces also seized some documents belonging to the Armenian army.
ARMENIA SAYS READY FOR MEDIATION
Armenia on the same day expressed readiness to work with international mediators to clinch a cease-fire with Azerbaijan.
Armenia “stands ready” to engage with France, Russia and the United States, which co-chair the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) group of mediators to the conflict, “to reestablish a cease-fire regime,” the foreign ministry in Yerevan said. The ministry warned that while it would welcome such peace talks, Azerbaijan’s “aggression against NagornoKarabakh will continue to receive (Armenia’s) strong and resolute response.” Following Yerevan’s statement that it will work with mediators after international calls for calm, Turkey’s Defense Minister Hulusi Akar on Friday stated that “cease-fire calls, which could not provide a solution to Azerbaijan’s rightful case in Nagorno-Karabakh, are neither sincere nor are they convincing.”
Akar reiterated support for Azerbaijan in regaining its occupied territories.
Russia said on Thursday its foreign minister Sergey Lavrov and Turkish counterpart Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu had confirmed in a phone call they were ready for “close coordination” to stabilize the situation in Nagorno-Karabakh.
The Russian foreign ministry said both confirmed “readiness for close coordination of the actions of Russia and Turkey to stabilize the situation with the aim of returning the settlement of the NagornoKarabakh conflict to the channel of peaceful talks”.
Russia’s diplomatic statement came after President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said earlier Thursday that a cease-fire was only possible if Armenian-backed forces withdrew from the occupied region and the rest of Azerbaijan.
Turkey is and will always be there for Azerbaijan, Erdoğan also said Friday during the opening of Konya City Hospital in central province of Konya, adding that the struggle will continue until Nagorno-Karabakh is saved from the Armenian occupation.
“When you combine the crisis points from the Caucasus to Syria to the Mediterranean, you would see there is an attempt to siege Turkey,” the president said.
For Azerbaijan to agree with a cease-fire, Armenia must withdraw its forces from occupied Azerbaijani territories, Çavuşoğlu also said Friday.
Speaking at a joint news conference with his Italian counterpart Luigi Di Maio, Çavuşoğlu said Turkey stands in solidarity with Azerbaijan against its struggle for the occupied territories of Nagorno-Karabakh.
“If the international community wants to do something about Upper Karabakh, they should get Armenia to leave Azerbaijani lands at once,” he said.