Azerbaijan described as “constructive” the first discussions it had on Thursday with the Armenian separatists of Nagorno-Karabakh on a reintegration of this secessionist territory where its army has just won a lightning victory.
A new meeting will take place “as quickly as possible”, said the Azerbaijani presidency which also plans to send humanitarian aid, food and fuel to this region on the future of which approximately two hours of talks took place. took place in Yevlakh, a town 295 km west of the capital Baku.
A column of black 4X4s arrived on site in the morning, followed by a vehicle on which a Russian flag flew and bearing Russian army license plates. According to images broadcast by the official Azerbaijani news agency Azertag, six men in suits then sat around a table. Among them, a representative of Nagorno-Karabakh was visible, David Melkoumian.
The day before, Hikmet Hajiev, an advisor to Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliev, assured that Azerbaijan had “the objective of the peaceful reintegration of the Armenians of Karabakh” and a “normalization” of relations with Armenia.
No mass evacuation
During a telephone conversation with his Azerbaijani counterpart, Russian President Vladimir Putin asked that “the rights and security” of the Armenians of Nagorno-Karabakh – where they are the majority – be guaranteed by Baku.
The military success of the Azerbaijanis is fueling fears of a massive departure of the 120,000 inhabitants of this enclave.
For the time being, Armenia has promised that no mass evacuations are planned.
“Decisions will be taken based on the situation and the results of the discussions,” underlined the office of Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian, adding “not having raised the question of the evacuation” of the Armenians from Nagorno-Karabakh “who have the right to live in their homes.
In Geneva, Armenia, which called the Azerbaijani military operation a “crime against humanity”, had earlier told the UN Human Rights Council that “ethnic cleansing” was ” in progress “.
More than 10,000 people, including women, children and the elderly, have already been evacuated from Nagorno-Karabakh, a separatist official said Wednesday evening.
Russian peacekeepers, deployed in this disputed region since the end of the last war in the fall of 2020, claimed Thursday morning to have taken care of around 5,000 of them.
Baku denies breaking ceasefire
When the talks began in Yevlakh, shots, the origin of which is currently unknown, were heard in Stepanakert, the capital of the Armenian separatists, by an AFP correspondent present on site.
“The Azerbaijani armed forces used various weapons from the surroundings of Stepanakert, violating the ceasefire agreement” which came into force on Wednesday, the secessionists accused.
Allegations immediately qualified as “disinformation” by Azerbaijani Defense Minister Zakir Hasanov.
Aroutioun Gasparian, a businessman from Stepanakert, simply spoke of a small exchange of fire outside the city.
“We are sitting at home and waiting for the results of the negotiations (in Yevlakh). Everyone in the city is sitting at home or in their garden, waiting,” he added.
UN Security Council
According to the latest assessment of the Armenian separatists, the Azerbaijani offensive which ended in 24 hours at midday on Wednesday left at least 200 dead and 400 injured.
The Russian Defense Ministry announced that Russian soldiers were killed on Wednesday when their car was fired upon.
President Aliev also presented “his apologies” to Mr. Putin on Thursday for these soldiers who fell during the Azerbaijani offensive.
Cornered by the firepower of Azerbaijani units and Armenia’s decision not to come to their aid, the separatists agreed to hand over all their weapons and participate in initial talks on “reintegration” into Azerbaijan of Nagorno-Karabakh.
At the same time, an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council is planned for the afternoon.
Fearing that the resumption of hostilities would destabilize the entire Caucasus, the West and Russia, for which it is an “internal affair” of Azerbaijan, called on Tuesday for an immediate end to the fighting.
The Azerbaijani authorities launched their “anti-terrorist” operation that day following the death of six people in the explosion of mines planted, they claimed, by Armenian “saboteurs”.
Pashinian under pressure, Aliev strengthened
The capitulation of the separatists increased pressure on the Armenian prime minister, criticized for not having helped them.
The day after clashes in front of the government headquarters, thousands of demonstrators hostile to his policies gathered again on Wednesday evening and incidents broke out with the police.
Nikol Pashinian “must leave, he cannot lead the country,” said one of them, Sarguis Hayats, a 20-year-old musician.
On Thursday, the prime minister urged Armenians to take “the path” to peace, even if it is “not easy.”
Using the oil windfall to strengthen his army, the Azerbaijani president is on the verge of succeeding in his bet to regain control of Nagorno-Karabakh, which was the scene of two wars between the former Soviet republics of the Caucasus. Azerbaijan and Armenia: one from 1988 to 1994 (30,000 deaths) and the other in the fall of 2020 (6,500 deaths).
Twenty-four hours after the launch of its assault, Azerbaijan “reestablished its sovereignty” over this territory, Ilham Aliev welcomed Wednesday.
While the Turkish head of state, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, reaffirmed the next day Ankara’s “unreserved support” for Baku during a telephone interview with his Azerbaijani counterpart.
This victory “will certainly increase the popularity of Ilham Aliev”, in power for 20 years, noted Shahin Hajiev, an independent Azerbaijani expert.