2023-09-24 18:42:00
Erdogan / Photo: AFP.
The Turkish president, Recep Tayyip Erdoganwill meet this Monday with his counterpart from Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyevafter a recent and successful Azerbaijani offensive against the Armenians of the Nagorno Karabkh enclave that shook the Caucasus and Europe.
The “latest developments” in Nagorno Karabakh will be at the center of Erdogan and Aliyev’s meeting in the Azerbaijani enclave of Nakhchivan, The Turkish Presidency said in a statement, without giving further details, the AFP news agency reported.
Erdogan and Aliyev, whose countries are allies, said in June they wanted to step up efforts to open a land corridor, known as Zangezur, linking Turkey to the main territory of Azerbaijan through the Nakhchivan enclave and Armenia.
Erdogan and Aliyev, whose countries are allies, said in June they wanted to step up efforts to open a land corridor, known as Zangezur, linking Turkey to the main territory of Azerbaijan through the Nakhchivan enclave and Armenia.
The Azerbaijani Army launched a military offensive against the Armenians of Nagorno-Karabakh last Tuesday, three years after a previous conflict in which it had dealt another harsh defeat to the Armenians and neighboring Armenia, which fought on their side.
This time, the Government of Armenia decided not to intervene to avoid another war with Azerbaijanfor the enclave, which would have been the third between the two since they ceased to be part of the former Soviet Union.
The Turkish president repeatedly expressed his “support” for the Azerbaijan military this week.
After just 24 hours of fighting, the Armenians who until now controlled Nagorno-Karabakh laid down their arms on Wednesday and on Thursday began negotiations, under the mediation of Moscow, for the reintegration of the territory to Azerbaijan.
After just 24 hours of fighting, the Armenians who until now controlled Nagorno-Karabakh laid down their arms on Wednesday and on Thursday began negotiations, under the mediation of Moscow, for the reintegration of the territory to Azerbaijan.
Erdogan / Photo: AFP.
Following the military victory in Tuesday’s lightning offensive, Azerbaijan promised yesterday at the UN to treat the Armenian majority in the Nagorno Karabakh region as “equal citizens”, while Armenia called for the “immediate” sending of a United Nations mission to evaluate the situation.
This Saturday, a first international aid convoy passed through the Lachin humanitarian corridor and arrived in Nagorno Karabakh, where the Armenians living in the enclave handed over their weapons to Azerbaijan.
Some experts believe that Azerbaijan could now try to press its advantage and launch operations in southern Armenia to create territorial continuity with the Nakhchivan enclave.
This mountainous enclave of Nagorno Karabakh was annexed to Azerbaijani territory in 1921 by the Soviet authorities. It was in the past the scene of two wars between the former Soviet republics of Azerbaijan and Armenia: one from 1988 to 1994 (30,000 dead) and the other in 2020 (6,500 dead).
Since 1991, after the dissolution of the Soviet Union, Nagorno-Karabakh has been controlled by Armenians who established an independent “republic” there that does not have international recognition, and is supported militarily by neighboring Armenia.
Since 1991, after the dissolution of the Soviet Union, Nagorno-Karabakh has been controlled by Armenians who established an independent “republic” there that does not have international recognition, and is supported militarily by neighboring Armenia.
At that time, the Armenians of Nagorno Karabakh achieved their de facto independence in a bloody war, but in 2020 Azerbaijan, with the support of Turkey, managed to recover much of the territory in a military offensive, including the enclave.
Since the end of 2022, Armenia has accused Azerbaijan of blocking the only route that connects its territory with Nagorno Karabakh, and of aggravating the situation of the inhabitants of the enclave.
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