Nagorno-Karabakh conflict: Russia, Armenia discuss situation amid tensions over phone

Amid the rising tensions in the Nagorno-Karabakh region, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and Armenian counterpart Zohrab Mnatsakanyan discussed the situation in the disputed region. In a telephone conversation, Russia expressed ‘concern’ over the increase casualties among the civilian population and urged for an early ceasefire. 

In a statement, the Russian foreign ministry reaffirmed Moscow’s readiness to assist the parties in returning the Nagorno-Karabakh settlement process to the political and diplomatic channels under the auspices of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) Minsk Group in accordance with the joint statement of the presidents of Russia, the United States and France. 

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The co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group (Russia, France, and the US) had earlier released a statement, condemning the continued violence in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict zone. They expressed alarm at reports of increasing civilian casualties and said that targeting or threatening civilians is “never acceptable under any circumstances.” 

The co-chairs stressed that participation in the escalating violence by external parties undermines efforts to achieve lasting peace in the region. They reiterated their call for an immediate cessation of hostilities and the resumption of substantive negotiations, in good faith and without preconditions. 

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Azerbaijan-Armenia conflict 

The two former Soviet states are in an armed stand-off for years over the Nagorno-Karabakh, a landlocked region in the South Caucasus, and heavy clashes re-erupted on September 27, prompting fears of an all-out war. The new fight is considered to be the heaviest in decades. Hundreds of people have been killed in the past week, including over 40 civilians. The fight between the two countries has raised international concern about stability in the South Caucasus, where pipelines carry Azeri oil and gas to world markets. 

With fears of the clashes expanding into an all-out, multi-front war, there is a possibility that the fighting could also be stuck in regional powers Turkey and Russia. While Ankara is Azerbaijan’s strongest supporter, Moscow, on the other hand, has a military base in Armenia. Earlier, Armenia even accused Turkey of supplying fighters to the conflict, drawing them out of northern-Syria. 

(Image: @AzerbaijanMOD/Twitter)

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