On Thursday, officials from Armenia and Azerbaijan met with their counterparts from Russia on the sidelines of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) Council of Foreign Ministers meeting in Moscow. The discussions were centred around security, economy, and diplomacy in the region, with special importance being given to the situation in Nagorno-Karabakh.
Armenian and Russian Foreign Ministers, Ara Ayvazian and Sergei Lavrov, held talks in Moscow to discuss the implementation of the agreements reached between Moscow, Baku, and Yerevan in wake of the brutal war fought between Armenia and Azerbaijan in 2020. The talks also focused on the continuing humanitarian issues and the unblocking of the economic and transport infrastructures of the region.
The Chief of Armenia’s armed forces, General Artak Davtyan, held a telephonic conversation with his Russian counterpart Valery Gerasimov and discussed issues relating to ensuring peace and security in the region as well as the “prospects of military and military-technical cooperation” between the two sides. In a separate statement, Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova said that Russia reaffirms “the necessity for a speedy organisation of a UNESCO mission in Nagorno-Karabakh.” Zakharova’s comments come after several agencies reported the demolition of Armenian historical-religious monuments by Azerbaijani forces.
Lavrov also met with his Azerbaijani counterpart Jeyhun Bayramov on Thursday, where they talked about “bilateral cooperation, the current regional situation, and the implementation of Trilateral Statements.” On the same day, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev met with Russian Deputy Prime Minister (PM) Alexey Overchuk in Baku and praised the work of the trilateral grouping in strengthening regional security and peace. Overchuk confirmed the progress made and said that Russia was “in touch with both Azerbaijani and Armenian sides.” Aliyev also spoke with Russian President Vladimir Putin via telephone to discuss the recent developments in the Nagorno-Karabakh region. Both leaders touched on a number of issues, including the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, and reaffirmed their “mutual commitment to continue strengthening Azerbaijani-Russian strategic partnership.”
Armenia and Azerbaijan have been engaged in constant conflict over the disputed region since the fall of the Soviet Union. The war between ethnic Armenians and ethnic Azerbaijanis in the disputed territory lasted till around 1994, with both Baku and Yerevan continuing to hold claims over Nagorno-Karabakh. The situation worsened in the early 90s when the Autonomous Oblast of Nagorno-Karabakh voted to join Armenia, increasing violence and displacing thousands by 1992.
The violence was contained by a Russia-mediated ceasefire in 1994. After this, the independent enclave of Nagorno-Karabakh held a public referendum—that was boycotted by Azerbaijan—in which the people chose to be independent rather than joining either country. However, this did not deter Azerbaijani and Armenian forces from engaging in frequent clashes in the region, with the conflict reigniting in what is now known as the 2016 Four-Day War. In 2018, the armed forces of both countries engaged in another violent clash at Gyunnut. The most recent flare-up occurred on September 27 last year, and led to the worst conflict in decades, killing thousands and displacing more than 100,000 people.
Armenian, Azerbaijani Officials Meet With Russian Counterparts on Sidelines of CIS Meet
The discussions were centred around security, economy and diplomacy in the region, with special importance being given to the situation at Nagorno-Karabakh.
April 2, 2021
SOURCE: ARMEN PRESS