Azerbaijan and Armenia Implement Ceasefire Agreement in Nagorno-Karabakh

Oct. 10, 2020 (EIRNS)—A ceasefire agreement in Nagorno-Karabakh was implemented on Oct. 10 at 12:00 noon Moscow time (09:00 UTC) as a result of talks between Armenian and Azerbaijan foreign ministers hosted by Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. “A ceasefire is declared to begin on Oct. 10 at 12:00 [Moscow time] with the humanitarian aim of exchanging prisoners of war and other captured persons as well as to exchange bodies of victims with the facilitation of the International Committee of the Red Cross and in line with its regulations,” Lavrov stated early today citing a joint statement, signed by the foreign ministers of Armenia and Azerbaijan. “Detailed parameters of the ceasefire regime will be agreed upon in the near future,” the Russian minister stated citing the signed document. The sides also agreed to begin talks on the peace settlement in Nagorno-Karabakh.

“The Republics of Azerbaijan and Armenia, with the mediation of the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs and based on the principles of conflict settlements, begin practical negotiations with the main task of reaching the peace settlement as soon as possible,” the statement said.

The three-way talks among the Russian, Azerbaijani and Armenian Foreign Ministers Sergey Lavrov, Jeyhun Bayramov, and Zohrab Mnatsakanyan began Friday afternoon Oct. 9, and lasted more than 10 hours, concluding after 2:00 a.m. on Saturday in Moscow (23:00 UTC Oct. 9].

Armenian Foreign Minister Zohrab Mnatsakanyan said today:

“I would like to emphasize the role of Russia and the President of the Russian Federation. He made personal efforts, like others. But we have gathered [in Moscow] to try to get a real practical result from the dialogue that was held separately between the President of the Russian Federation on the one hand, the Prime Minister of Armenia and the President of Azerbaijan on the other.”

Referring to the fact that the negotiations were “rather difficult,” Mnatsakanyan referred to the negative role of Turkey, saying:

“The aggression in this case was unique because Azerbaijan’s actions were paired with rather overt and strong support from Turkey and with the involvement of international terrorist syndicates. In fact, our compatriots in Nagorno-Karabakh were fighting in rather unique conditions, when in addition to Azerbaijan, there was such a strong attack with the involvement of such forces.”

The Turkish Foreign Ministry put out a statement on the agreement, fully taking the side of Azerbaijan, declaring that Azerbaijan gave a “last chance” for the withdrawal of Armenia from Nagorno-Karabakh. Both sides accused the other of breaking the ceasefire within the first few hours, but it will take time to see if it holds.