Clashes broke out between Azerbaijan and ethnic Armenian forces in several areas of Nagorno-Karabakh on Friday, with Washington holding talks in Washington to try to end the deadliest fighting in a mountain raid for more than a quarter of a century. A few hours before the start.
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo was
scheduled’ to meet with the foreign ministers of Azerbaijan and Armenia in a
renewed effort to end month-long bloodshed in which, Russian President
Vladimir Putin said 5,000 people had been killed.
The end of Russia's two-pronged ceasefire
on September 27 has also dashed hopes of an immediate end to fighting in
Nagorno-Karabakh, an invasive region inside Azerbaijan controlled by Armenians.
The world powers want to stop the war that
is escalating the war between Turkey and Russia and they are concerned about
the safety of pipelines in Azerbaijan that carry Azeri gas and oil to world
markets via the South Caucasus.
In the latest clashes, Azerbaijan's
Defense Ministry has reported fighting in several areas, including areas near
the border that divides the area.
The Armenian Ministry of Defense has also
reported fighting in several areas and said that the town of Martuni in
Nagorno-Karabakh was shelled’ again during the night.
Pompeo is expected’ to hold separate talks
with Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov and Armenian Foreign Minister
Zoharb Mnatsakanyan. It is unclear whether the two former ministers of the
Soviet republic will meet directly.
On Thursday, Russian President Vladimir
Putin said, "I am very hopeful that our American partners will work with
us in this alliance and help us in this settlement." He said on Thursday
that he spoke to the leaders of Armenia and Azerbaijan on the phone several
times a day.
Putin said Moscow believes more than 2,000
people have been killed in recent riots. The decades-long conflict led to the
1991-94 war that killed nearly 30,000 people and drove out Azerbaijani troops.
"Straight ahead"
Pompeo said this week he hopes a
diplomatic solution will be found’ and the "right path" will be found’
as the United States, France and Russia have been pushing for decades through
mediation efforts.
Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan
has said she sees no diplomatic solution to the long-running dispute at this
stage.
Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev says
the prospects for a peace deal are "very remote" and has called for
promises to return control of Nagorno-Karabakh to Azerbaijan.
Armenians consider Nagorno-Karabakh part
of their historic homeland and accuse Azerbaijan of occupying land in the
recent fighting.
The Azeri forces, which are powered’ by
arms purchased from Turkey, say they have gained regional benefits, including
full control of the border with Iran, although Nagorno-Karabakh says its forces
have repeatedly repulsed attacks.
Turkey has said it will send troops and
provide military assistance to Azerbaijan if requested by its ally.
Putin said Russia, which has a defense
agreement with Armenia does not agree with Turkey on Nagorno-Karabakh, but the
two countries need to compromise.
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