Armenia has accused Azerbaijan of launching mortar attacks on its territory while peace talks are taking place in Moscow. The aim of the meeting between the Armenian Prime Minister, Nikol Pashinyan, and the Azerbaijani President, Ilham Aliyev, is to normalize relations between the two countries. The talks are being organized in the context of recent deadly clashes that have occurred along the border demarcation which has remained unresolved since the two countries gained independence from the Soviet Union in 1991.
This meeting follows two major conflicts between the two South Caucasus nations, fought in the early 1990s and in 2016, over the Nagorno-Karabakh region. Nagorno-Karabakh is an internationally recognized part of Azerbaijan but has been controlled by ethnic Armenian separatists since the end of the 1988-1994 conflict. The violent separatist movement has affected both countries, claiming thousands of lives and displacing more than 1 million people.
The Russian Foreign Minister, Sergey Lavrov, has been mediating the preparatory talks between the Armenian and Azerbaijani counterparts. Both Armenia and Azerbaijan are former Soviet republics and still have close relations with Moscow. Russia is also a key mediator in the Nagorno-Karabakh peace process and has regularly taken part in talks alongside the United States and France.
The latest escalation of tensions between Armenia and Azerbaijan highlights the need for a lasting solution to the ongoing conflict. Both countries need to find a way to live in peace with each other and establish mutual respect to ensure a peaceful future for future generations. Therefore, it is an encouraging sign that they are willing to participate in peace talks and work towards a peaceful resolution. It remains to be seen if the Moscow talks will lead to any substantial change in the status quo but both parties must persevere with peaceful dialogue for the sake of their people.
https://www.alaskacommons.com/armenia-claims-azerbaijans-attack-on-its-territory-with-mortar-fire/