Nagorno-Karabakh’s ethnic Armenian leadership said on Friday that talks with Azerbaijan had so far brought no guarantees of security or amnesty, which Baku war offering after entering the region, The Globe and Mail reported.
Azerbaijan envisages an amnesty for Karabakh Armenian militants who surrender their weapons, although some have vowed to continue their resistance, Hikmet Hajiyev, a foreign policy adviser to Azerbaijan’s president, told Reuters.
“Even with regard to former militaries and combatants, if they can be classified in such a way, and even for them we are envisaging an amnesty or alluding to an amnesty as well.”
David Babayan, an adviser to Samvel Shahramanyan, the President of the self-styled Republic of Artsakh, said that on Friday, thanks to the agreement reached, the humanitarian convoy would leave Armenia through the Lachin corridor.
The situation is very difficult: the people are hungry, there is no electricity, no fuel – we have many refugees.
Azerbaijan’s swift 24-hour military operation this week forced ethnic Karabakh Armenians to accept a ceasefire agreement on Wednesday, prompting calls for the resignation of Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan.
Karabakh is internationally recognised as part of predominantly Muslim Azerbaijan, but its Armenian Christian population has maintained de facto independence since it seceded in the 1990s when the Soviet Union collapsed.
After Azerbaijan’s victory in the 2020 war, Pashinyan was forced to recognise Azerbaijan’s control over a much larger territory.
Pashinyan, facing protests calling for his resignation, said the government has prepared space for a possible influx of people into Armenia, but the country does not want to leave Karabakh deserted.
We must do everything … so that our compatriots, residents of Nagorno-Karabakh have the opportunity to live in their homes without fear, with dignity and safe.
Earlier this week, he warned that unknown forces were talking about a coup being prepared against him.
2,000 Russian peacekeepers in Karabakh have called for calm, but some Armenians, including Pashinyan, have accused Russia of not giving Armenia enough help.
