Azerbaijan says it needs to disarm Armenian forces, however world powers decry Baku, accusing it of imperilling safety.
Azerbaijan on Tuesday launched a navy operation within the breakaway Nagorno-Karabakh area and demanded the entire withdrawal of Armenian forces from the mountainous territory as a precondition for peace.
In latest weeks, Armenia accused Azerbaijan of increase troops and decried a blockade of its solely land hyperlink to Nagorno-Karabakh.
Renewed preventing within the area comes virtually three years after a quick however brutal conflict with Armenia over the world, by which greater than 6,000 folks had been killed.
The area is globally recognised as a part of Azerbaijan, however has a majority ethnic Armenian inhabitants that broke from Baku’s management after a conflict within the early Nineteen Nineties.
Right here is how the world is reacting to the preventing:
Armenia
Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan urged Russia and United Nations to take motion to cease the preventing.
“Initially, Russia should take steps and, secondly, we anticipate the UN Safety Council to additionally take steps,” Pashinyan, whose nation is in a navy alliance led by Moscow, mentioned in televised feedback.
“We should not enable sure folks, sure forces to deal a blow to the Armenian state. There are already calls, coming from completely different locations, to stage a coup in Armenia.”
Armenia’s defence ministry has denied its troops had been current in Nagorno-Karabakh.
Russia
Russia, which brokered a ceasefire in 2020 and has peacekeepers within the area, has referred to as for an finish to the preventing.
“We’re deeply involved concerning the sharp escalation of the scenario in Nagorno-Karabakh,” International Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova mentioned at a press briefing.
“The principle factor is to stop human casualties … the principle factor is to persuade Yerevan and Baku to return to the negotiating desk,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov advised reporters.
European Union
The EU condemned the escalation in Nagorno-Karabakh and referred to as on Azerbaijan to cease its navy actions, the EU’s overseas coverage chief Josep Borrell mentioned in a press release.
“We name for the quick cessation of hostilities & Azerbaijan to cease the present navy actions,” he mentioned on social media platform X, previously generally known as Twitter.
The EU condemns the navy escalation in Karabakh & deplores lack of lives
We name for the quick cessation of hostilities & Azerbaijan to cease the present navy actions
Dedication by all sides is required to work in the direction of negotiated outcomeshttps://t.co/6YK7h28Ffv
— Josep Borrell Fontelles (@JosepBorrellF) September 19, 2023
United Nations
United Nations spokesman Stephane Dujarric advised Al Jazeera that the scenario in Nagorno-Karabakh was “very regarding”.
“It’s crucial that each one the actions stop and each events return to a sustained dialogue to keep away from any additional clashes,” he mentioned.
Germany
Azerbaijan has damaged its promise by resorting to navy motion in Nagorno-Karabakh, German International Minister Annalena Baerbock mentioned.
“Baku’s promise to chorus from navy motion was damaged. Azerbaijan should instantly cease shelling and return to the negotiating desk,” Baerbock mentioned on the sidelines of the UN Normal Meeting (UNGA) in New York Metropolis.
United States
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken will maintain pressing talks Tuesday with all sides to finish the “egregious” operation by Azerbaijan, an official mentioned.
After the opening of an help path on Monday, “we had been hopeful that we had been going to have the ability to adapt to the longer-term points,” a US official mentioned on situation of anonymity in accordance with Reuters information company, “in order that makes this incident in a single day notably egregious and notably harmful”.
France
Paris has referred to as for an pressing UN Safety Council assembly to finish the crises.
“There isn’t any pretext that justifies such a unilateral motion,” the French overseas ministry mentioned in a press release, including that it “threatens 1000’s of civilians already affected by a month-long unlawful blockade and which runs towards efforts by the worldwide group to achieve a negotiated settlement.”
Catherine Colonna, the overseas minister, mentioned Baku’s operation is “unlawful, unjustifiable, unacceptable”.
“I want to emphasise that we maintain Azerbaijan liable for the destiny of Armenians of Nagorno-Karabakh,” she advised journalists at UNGA in New York.
