Armenia, Azerbaijan accuse each other of 'violating' US-brokered ceasefire

Soon after Armenia and Azerbaijan agreed for new US-brokered ‘humanitarian ceasefire', both countries have accused the other side of violation of the truce. While Azerbaijan Foreign Ministry accused Armenia of 'gross violation' of the ceasefire agreement, Armenian ministry refuted the claim as 'misinformation' and said the other side had 'grossly violated' the agreement by launching an artillery attack. Baku had said that Armenian forces destroyed villages in the Terter and Lachin regions.

US State Department in a joint statement on October 25 said that following the foreign ministers of Armenia, Azerbaijan and the United States, both nations have reaffirmed their commitment to not only implement the ceasefire that was agreed in Moscow but also to abide by it. The agreement on a truce is set to begin at 12 AM EDT on October 26 and the US noted its role in the “intensive negotiations” leading to the deal. 

US State Department said, “Armenian Foreign Minister Zohrab Mnatsakanyan and Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov met with Deputy Secretary of State Stephen E. Biegun on October 24, 2020, and reaffirmed their countries’ commitment to implement and abide by the humanitarian ceasefire agreed in Moscow on October 10.”

“The United States facilitated intensive negotiations among the Foreign Ministers and the Minsk Group Co-Chairs to move Armenia and Azerbaijan closer to a peaceful resolution of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict,” it added.

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Trump congratulates leaders, praises Pompeo

Soon after the US-brokered ceasefire was announced, US President Donald Trump and US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo both hailed the move towards the “peaceful resolution”. Trump took to Twitter on October 26  and not only congratulated Armenian and Azerbaijan leaders but also touted his administration for “getting deal done”. The ceasefire was the outcome of meeting with US Deputy Secretary of State Stephen Biegun, Armenian Foreign Minister Zohrab Mnatsakanyan and his Azerbaijani counterpart Jeyhun Bayramov. 

Moreover, the OSCE Minsk group in a statement said that in addition to the ceasefire, Armenia and Azerbaijan have also agreed to meet in Geneva, Switzerland on October 29 in a bid to reach a peaceful settlement over Nagorno-Karabakh. The disputed region of Nagorno-Karabakh is internationally recognised as a part of Azerbaijan but is controlled by ethnic Armenians. Azerbaijan and Armenia have both have been at odds over Nagorno-Karabakh for decades; however, the recent violence in the region erupted last month and has been escalating at a blinding pace.

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