(United Nations) Armenia and Azerbaijan engaged in a skirmish before the UN Security Council on Thursday over Nagorno-Karabakh, while several member countries, including France, demanded Baku “tangible guarantees” after its lightning offensive.
Invited to address the Council, meeting urgently at the request of Paris, the Armenian and Azerbaijani Ministers of Foreign Affairs, Ararat Mirzoyan and Djeyhoun Baïramov, accused each other of being responsible for the deterioration of the situation in this region disputed in the South Caucasus.
Speaking first, the Armenian minister affirmed that there were not “two parties in this conflict, but an aggressor and a victim”, accusing Baku of having launched an “unjustified and planned” offensive aimed at “finalize ethnic cleansing” in Nagorno-Karabakh.
He also accused Baku of carrying out “intense, indiscriminate bombardment and using heavy artillery, including the prohibited use of cluster munitions.”
According to the latest assessment of the Armenian separatists, the Azerbaijani offensive which ended in 24 hours on Wednesday left at least 200 dead and 400 injured.
His Azerbaijani counterpart denounced a “disinformation campaign” by Yerevan, accused of “feeding and supporting the separatists” in Nagorno-Karabakh, a region which is under the sovereignty of Baku, also attacking a Council of “biased” security.
PHOTO BRYAN R. SMITH, AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Djeyhoun Bayramov (center)
France, for its part, demanded that Azerbaijan give “tangible guarantees” to bring peace to Nagorno-Karabakh two days after Baku’s lightning offensive against Armenian separatists.
“If Azerbaijan is truly keen to achieve a peaceful and negotiated solution, it must now provide tangible guarantees,” said the head of French diplomacy, Catherine Colonna.
She called on Baku to “engage in good faith in the discussions by excluding any use of force […] and by accepting that this dialogue concerns the rights and guarantees of the population” of Nagorno-Karabakh.
Paris, like Washington, strongly condemned Azerbaijan’s lightning offensive in this region disputed for decades with Armenia. The operation resulted in a capitulation of the Armenian separatists and the establishment of a cease-fire.
Russia said on Thursday that it had recorded five violations of this ceasefire.
The French minister also demanded that Baku “provide amnesty to the forces who accepted the ceasefire” and restore “without delay and unconditionally circulation through the Lachin corridor” allowing the entry of humanitarian aid.
“It must finally accept an international humanitarian presence. This is essential as winter approaches,” she said, adding: “Without these guarantees, there will be no solution.”
“Azerbaijan tried to create a fait accompli by force,” lamented the German Annalena Baerbock, while the head of European diplomacy, Josep Borrell, called on the two parties “to resume negotiations on all matters still pending with a view to concluding a peace treaty.”