(AFP): After nearly two weeks of fierce clashes, Armenia and Azerbaijan today (Saturday) agreed to a ceasefire and to initiate ‘substantive talks’ over the breakaway region of Nagorno-Karabakh.
Speaking after 11 hours of Moscow-mediated talks, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said that Armenia and Azerbaijan had agreed to a ceasefire from 12 hours 00 minutes on October 10 on humanitarian grounds.
Bitter fighting in the central Asian region has claimed more than 400 lives, forced thousands to flee, and stirred fears of a full-blown war that could suck in regional powers Turkey and Russia.
The heavy clashes erupted late last month, with both sides blaming the other for the biggest outbreak in violence since a 1994 ceasefire left the status of Karabakh in limbo.
According to a statement, the parties will exchange bodies and prisoners during the ceasefire. “Concrete parameters of the ceasefire will be agreed separately,” the statement added.
“The two warring sides begin substantive negotiations with the purpose of achieving a peaceful settlement as soon as possible,” Lavrov told reporters, adding that such talks would be mediated by France, Russia and the US.
However, Armenia’s foreign minister, Zohrab Mnatsakanyan, and his Azeri counterpart, Jeyhun Bayramov, did not speak to reporters.
Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, who has repeatedly vowed to use his military to retake the breakaway province, said earlier that the talks represented a historic opportunity for Armenia.
“We are giving Armenia a chance to settle the conflict peacefully. This is their last chance,” he added. On the other hand, Armenia’s Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said that his country was ready for the resumption of the peace process led by international brokers.
Earlier on Friday, heavy clashes continued with further civilian deaths reported, even after Russian President Vladimir Putin announced the Moscow meeting and appealed for a ceasefire on humanitarian grounds.
