MOSCOW, September 11./TASS/. A meeting between representatives of the Azerbaijani authorities and the Armenian population of Nagorno-Karabakh was held in the Azerbaijani city of Yevlakh. In the meantime, reports of shelling started coming from the region.
Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, in a telephone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin, offered condolences and apologies over the deaths of Russian peacekeepers in Karabakh on Wednesday. Initial suspects have been detained, while the commander of the Azerbaijani armed forces corps, whose subordinates are guilty of shelling Russian peacekeepers, has been suspended.
TASS has put together the key developments in the situation around Nagorno-Karabakh.
Investigation into the deaths of Russian peacekeepers
The commander of the Azerbaijani Armed Forces’ corps, whose subordinates are responsible for the death of Russian peacekeepers, has been suspended, a source from the Russian security agency said. The first suspects in the case have also been detained.
Aliyev stressed during a telephone conversation with Putin that a thorough investigation would be conducted into the deaths of Russian peacekeepers in Nagorno-Karabakh on September 20. The Azerbaijani president apologized and offered condolences, expressing readiness to provide assistance to the families of the victims.
In addition, Aliyev confirmed that Azerbaijan was ready to continue to cooperate with Russian peacekeepers for de-escalation in Karabakh.
Meanwhile, about 5,000 civilians have been evacuated to the base camp of the Russian peacekeeping contingent in Nagorno-Karabakh, where they have been accommodated and receive meals and medical assistance.
Negotiations in Yevlakh
A delegation of Karabakh Armenians arrived at the meeting in Yevlakh accompanied by Russian peacekeepers, Azerbaijani Trend news agency reported.
The Azerbaijani authorities were represented by Ramin Mamedov,who is the main contact for the Armenian residents of the Karabakh Region, Bashir Gadzhyev, deputy presidential envoy for the areas in the liberated territories of the Karabakh Economic Region (except for the Shusha District) and Ilkin Sultanov, a member of the special envoy’s office. Sergey Martirosyan and David Melkumyan represented the Karabakh Armenians. According to AZERTAC news agency, a representative of the Russian peacekeeping contingent was also present at the meeting.
The negotiations were expected to discuss the reintegration of Karabakh's Armenian population in accordance with the Azerbaijani constitution. Ilham Aliyev assured that the rights of Armenians would be ensured. In a conversation with the head of the European Council Charles Michel Aliyev expressed the opinion that the result of the operation in Karabakh would positively influence the course of negotiations on a peace treaty between Baku and Yerevan.
The meeting lasted about three hours. In an interview with Sky News Arabia, Azerbaijan’s special presidential envoy Elchin Amirbayov said that a draft of the peace agreement had been presented to the Armenian side. He added that the future of Karabakh Armenians was the internal affair of Azerbaijan.
Situation in Karabakh
Residents of Stepanakert (Azerbaijani name Khankendi) in Nagorno-Karabakh reported that they heard gunshots in the city, Armenpress news agency reported. Later, the Yerevan-based 24News portal, citing the Karabakh information center, reported that the Azerbaijani military had violated the ceasefire. Baku dubbed reports that the Azerbaijani Armed Forces had gone on the offensive as disinformation.
Meanwhile, Turkey's defense ministry said in a statement that "Armenia is not complying with its ceasefire commitments" of November 10, 2020, which leads to "destabilization of the situation in the region."
Reaction in Yerevan
A group of political and public figures led by chairman of the Democratic Consolidation Party Suren Petrosyan went on a hunger strike to force the Armenian government to resign over the events in Karabakh.
Protesters also got together last night outside the government building in Yerevan, demanding the resignation of Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan. As many as 30 protesters were detained.
American rapper Snoop Dogg’s concert at Hrazdan Stadium in Yerevan, which was scheduled for September 23, was postponed amid the developments in Nagorno-Karabakh, the organizing company Doping Space reported.
International reaction
More than 60 MEPs have sent an inquiry to EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell as to what sanctions will be imposed against Azerbaijan in connection with the hostilities in Karabakh, French MP Nathalie Loiseau, chair of the European Parliament’s subcommittee on defense, said.
Turkish Defense Minister Yasar Guler congratulated his Azerbaijani counterpart Zakir Hasanov by phone on the successful completion of the operation in Karabakh.
In turn, Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi said the differences between Azerbaijan and Armenia should be resolved through dialogue.