Azerbaijan and Armenia brush off suggestion of peace talks

Leers of Azerbaijan and Armenia brushed off suggestion of peace talks Tuesday, accusing each or of obstructing negotiations over separatist territory of Nagor-Karabakh, with dozens killed and injured in three days of heavy fighting. In latest incident, Armenia said one of its warplanes was shot down by a fighter jet from Azerbaijan's ally Turkey, killing pilot, in what would be a major escalation of violence. Both Turkey and Azerbaijan denied it.

international community is calling for talks to end deces-old conflict between two former Soviet republics in Caucasus Mountains region following a flareup of violence this week. It centers on Nagor-Karabakh, a region that lies within Azerbaijan but has been under control of ethnic Armenian forces backed by Armenian government since 1994 at end of separatist war. Azerbaijani President Ilkham Aliyev told Russian state TV channel Rossia 1 that Baku is committed to negotiating a resolution but that Armenia is obstructing process.

“ Armenian prime minister publicly declares that Karabakh is (part of) Armenia, period. In this case, what kind of negotiating process can we talk about?” Aliev said.

He ded that according to principles brokered by Minsk group, which was set up in 1992 to resolve conflict, “territories around former Nagor-Karabakh automous region should be transferred to Azerbaijan.” Aliev ted that if Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan says “that Karabakh is Armenia and that we should negotiate with so-called puppet regime of Nagor-Karabakh, (he is) trying to break format of negotiations that has existed for 20 years.”

Pashinyan, in turn, told brocaster that “it is very hard to talk about negotiations ... when specific military operations are underway.” He said re is military solution to conflict and called for a compromise. But first, Azerbaijan must “immediately end (its) aggression towards Nagor-Karabakh and Armenia," Pashinyan said.

“We all perceive this as an existential threat to our nation, we basically perceive it as a war that was declared to Armenian people, and our people are w simply forced to use right for self-defense.”

Since Sunday, Nagor-Karabakh Defense Ministry reported 84 servicemen were killed. Aliyev said 11 civilians were killed on its side, although he didn't detail country's military casualties. Both countries accused each or of firing into ir territory outside of Nagor-Karabakh area on Tuesday. separatist region of about 4,400 square kilometers (1,700 square miles), or about size of U.S. state of Delaware, is 50 kilometers (30 miles) from Armenian border. Soldiers backed by Armenia also occupy some Azerbaijani territory outside region.

Armenia also alleged that Turkey, which supports Azerbaijan, was involved. “Turkey, according to our information, looks for an excuse for a broer involvement in this conflict,” Pashinyan said. Armenian military said an SU-25 from its air force was shot down in Armenian air by a Turkish F-16 fighter jet that took off from Azerbaijan, and pilot was killed.

allegation of downing jet was “absolutely untrue,” said Fahrettin Altun, communications director for Turkey's president. Azerbaijani officials called it “ar fantasy of Armenian military propaganda machine.” Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan urged Armenia to withdraw immediately from separatist region, and Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said Turkey is “by Azerbaijan's side on field and at (negotiating) table.” Armenian officials said that Turkey, a NATO member, is supplying Azerbaijan with fighters recruited in Syria and weapons, including F-16 fighter jets. Both Azerbaijan and Turkey deny it.

Earlier in day, Azerbaijan's Defense Ministry said Armenian forces shelled Dashkesan region in Azerbaijan. Armenian officials said Azerbaijani forces opened fire on a military unit in Armenian town of Vardenis, setting a bus on fire and killing one civilian.

Armenia's Foreign Ministry denied shelling region and said reports were laying groundwork for Azerbaijan “expanding geography of hostilities, including aggression against Republic of Armenia." German Chancellor Angela Merkel has pushed for “an immediate cease-fire and a return to negotiating table" in phone calls with leers of both countries, her office said.

She told m Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe offers an appropriate forum for talks and that two countries' neighbors “should contribute to peaceful solution,” said her spokesman, Steffen Seibert. U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said during a visit to Greece that “both sides must stop violence" and work "to return to substantive negotiations as quickly as possible.”  

(Im Credits: AP)

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