Category: 2020

After six weeks of fighting between Azerbaijan and Armenia, a cease-fire agreement was signed between the two conflicting sides. Azerbaijan won a huge victory on Tuesday that ended the 30-year-long occupation of Armenia and liberated Azerbaijan’s territory. The peace deal, which was declared by Russian President Vladimir Putin, has historic importance and amounts to the capitulation of Armenia.

The cease-fire agreement came shortly after the liberation of Shusha, the historical, second-largest city in the Nagorno-Karabakh region, by the Azerbaijani armed forces, and the deal took effect on Tuesday at 1 p.m. local time. There was no way out for Armenia but to accept the defeat, as Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian pointed out. The Armenian government, therefore, admitted to defeat and officially ended the conflict.

Under the cease-fire agreement, first of all, the two sides have agreed to stop the war. The deal also includes an exchange of war prisoners and will allow economic and transport contacts. Russian troops will monitor the cease-fire and the exchange of war prisoners.

Second, Armenia has agreed to withdraw from five occupied Azerbaijani areas immediately and will surrender control of the other two areas in the next two weeks. According to the peace deal, the Kalbajar region will be returned to Azerbaijan by Nov. 15, the Aghdam region by Nov. 20 and the Lachin region by Dec. 1.

That is, the 30-year occupation of the Azerbaijani lands will end by the first day of December. Later on, displaced civilians and refugees will return to Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding regions under the supervision of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).

Third, Azerbaijan will not withdraw from the part of Nagorno-Karabakh it liberated during the last conflict.

For Azerbaijan, the most important gain is the liberation of Shusha, since it is known as the cultural center of the Nagorno-Karabakh region. In other words, in addition to liberating the occupied regions surrounding the Nagorno-Karabakh area, Azerbaijan will continue to control the liberated territories of the Nagorno-Karabakh region, which means that the autonomous region will be smaller than before.

Fourth, Armenia will have the 5-kilometer-wide (3.1-mile-wide) Lachin Corridor connecting Armenia to Karabakh, but the corridor will remain under the control of Russian peacekeeping forces. In return, Armenia will provide a transport and communication line between mainland Azerbaijan and the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic. This corridor will allow the unrestricted movement of citizens, vehicles and goods in both directions.

This means Turkey will have a direct connection to all of Azerbaijan. This can be considered a significant step in strengthening the Turkish-Azerbaijani strategic partnership.

Fifth, a joint peacekeeping mission consisting of Russian and Turkish armed forces may be established and sent to the region to patrol the front lines. Russia, which has military bases in the region, is the traditional dominant geopolitical power in the region; therefore, it was expected that Moscow would eventually become involved in the conflict and mediate between the two conflicting sides.

Russia, which remained neutral during the most recent conflict and negotiated several cease-fire agreements, will deploy 1,960 soldiers, 90 armored vehicles and 380 units of vehicles and special equipment.

Considering the most recent developments in the region, it is obvious that Azerbaijan is the victor, Turkey is the real game-changer and Russia is the dominant geopolitical power. Turkey was and continues to be the only real supporter of Azerbaijan. It provided strategic and modern weapons to Baku along with support that contributed greatly to Azerbaijan’s self-confidence and its fighting power on the ground.

The conditions of the agreement may open new windows of opportunity in the region. As long as the coordination and collaboration continue between Russia and Turkey, the management of the crisis will be feasible.

All in all, the cease-fire agreement provided the necessary conditions for a long-term and comprehensive solution to the Nagorno-Karabakh issue on a fair basis and in line with the interests of the people of both countries. From now on, the Azerbaijani government will initiate a process of normalization in the liberated regions and develop a system for the return of the displaced Azerbaijani people.

Armenia will now have to accept the new realities on the ground, which reflect the legal and legitimate claims of Azerbaijan. In this context, normalization and rapprochement can start between Armenia and its two neighbors, Turkey and Azerbaijan. The two sides should not miss this opportunity.

The traces of war are quickly healing in the Azerbaijani city of Tartar, which experienced heavy bombardment during the almost six weeks of fighting with Armenia.

Daily life in the city started returning to normal after a newly declared peace agreement was signed between Azerbaijan and Armenia.

Baku and Yerevan signed a Russia-brokered agreement on Tuesday to end clashes that erupted in September due to continued Armenian attacks on civilians and military forces in Azerbaijan. The sides agreed to work toward a comprehensive solution to their dispute surrounding the region of Nagorno-Karabakh, which had been under Armenian occupation for almost three decades.

Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev hailed the agreement as a victory for his country and a defeat for Armenia, saying Baku’s military success enabled it to gain the upper hand to end the occupation of its territory. Turkey welcomed the truce as a “great victory” for Azerbaijan.

On the other hand, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian said he signed the “unspeakably painful” deal that allowed Azerbaijan to claim control over regions it took back in the fighting.

Relations between the ex-Soviet republics have been tense since 1991 when the Armenian military occupied Nagorno-Karabakh, a territory recognized as part of Azerbaijan, and seven adjacent regions.

Residents of Tartar gathered at the city’s Clock Square, which had suffered intense attacks from Armenian forces, to clean and sweep the streets.

Shopkeepers cleaned the debris from broken windows and opened shop.

Banovshe Huseynova, one of the municipality workers cleaning the streets, told Anadolu Agency (AA) that she was happy her country won the fight over Nagorno-Karabakh.

Fresh clashes erupted on Sept. 27, and the Armenian Army continued its attacks on civilians and Azerbaijani forces, violating humanitarian cease-fire agreements, for 44 days.

On the frontline, Baku liberated several cities and nearly 300 of its settlements and villages from Armenian occupation during this time.

Prior to the second Karabakh war, about 20% of Azerbaijan’s territory was under illegal Armenian occupation for nearly three decades.

“We are sweeping the streets of Tartar. We clean the streets and are very happy. Azerbaijan has won a great victory. It’s beautiful,” Huseynova said.

Makhmar Gahramanova, a housewife, thanked Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan for backing Baku in the conflict.

“He didn’t abandon us. May Allah help the people of Turkey,” she said.

Emphasizing that Tartar’s residents had had a “hard time” during the clashes, Gahramanova said they had been too afraid to leave their homes for a long time but they would not leave their homeland.

Aliyev also said Wednesday that the Nagorno-Karabakh area will be revived.

“Our people’s unity will enable us to bring back life to the liberated territories. Karabakh will be reborn. It will be revived and reinvigorated. It will become a real paradise,” he said on Twitter.

“These are the happiest moments in the life of every one of us. The second Karabakh war will go down in history as Azerbaijan’s glorious victory. All of our people demonstrated unity and solidarity in ensuring this victory,” he said, crediting the victory to the “professionalism and bravery” of servicemen.

The victory on the battlefield was the result of winning on the political field. “We will further solidify our historic victory in legal and political domains,” he said.

Emphasizing that security and infrastructure issues should be prioritized for the return of displaced people, Aliyev said areas require de-mining, and Baku will involve international organizations in the process.

He stressed his government will rebuild homes destroyed during the conflict, noting that damaged houses will be restored and lost property compensated.

The Muslim call to prayer, known as the adhan, was heard Wednesday in Nagorno-Karabakh’s symbolic city of Shusha for the first time in nearly three decades.

Footage on social media showed an Azerbaijani soldier reciting the adhan at Shusha’s historical Yukhari Govhar Agha Mosque.

Shusha was occupied by Armenian forces on May 8, 1992. The town has significant military value due to its strategic location about 10 kilometers (6 miles) south of the region’s capital near Khankendi (Stepanakert) and on the road linking the city with Armenian territory.

Gaining control of Shusha was a major victory for Azerbaijani forces on their way to a cease-fire signed Nov. 10, seen as a victory for Baku in the conflict over the Armenian-occupied Nagorno-Karabakh region.

Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev announced on Nov. 8 that Shusha had been liberated from Armenian occupation.

“After 28 years, the adhan (call to prayer) will be heard in Shusha,” Aliyev, wearing a military uniform, said in an address to the nation.

“We proved to the world Nagorno-Karabakh is historical Azerbaijani lands,” he said.

“Our victory march continues. If the Armenian leadership does not respond to my demands, we will go till the end,” Aliyev said in his speech in the Alley of Martyrs in the capital Baku.

Azerbaijan and Armenia have been locked in a bitter conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh since Armenian separatists backed by Yerevan seized control of the mountainous province in a 1990s war that left 30,000 people dead.

Nagorno-Karabakh’s self-declared independence has not been recognized internationally, even by Armenia, and it remains a part of Azerbaijan under international law.

The heaviest fighting since a 1994 cease-fire erupted on Sept. 27 and persisted for over a month despite intense diplomatic efforts to bring it to a halt. Azerbaijan’s victory became official Monday as Armenia agreed to accept its defeat through a peace deal that confirms the withdrawal of its troops from the Nagorno-Karabakh region.

The president of Azerbaijan said Wednesday that the Nagorno-Karabakh region, which has been occupied for nearly three decades by Armenia and was recently liberated by Azerbaijan, will be revived.

“Our people’s unity will enable us to bring back life to the liberated territories. Karabakh will be reborn. It will be revived and reinvigorated. It will become a real paradise,” Ilham Aliyev said on Twitter.

Azerbaijan and Armenia signed a Russia-brokered agreement on Nov. 10 to end the fighting and work toward a comprehensive solution. Aliyev hailed the deal as a victory for his country and a defeat for Armenia, saying Baku’s military success enabled it to gain the upper hand to end the three-decade occupation.

“These are the happiest moments in the life of every one of us. The second Karabakh war will go down in history as Azerbaijan’s glorious victory. All of our people demonstrated unity and solidarity in ensuring this victory,” he said, crediting the victory to the “professionalism and bravery” of Azerbaijan’s servicepeople.

The victory on the battlefield was a result of winning on the political field, Aliyev said, noting, “We will further solidify our historic Victory in legal and political domains.”

Emphasizing that security and infrastructure issues should be prioritized for the return of displaced persons, Aliyev said some areas require de-mining and Baku will involve international organizations in the process.

He stressed his government will rebuild homes destroyed during the war, noting that damaged houses will be restored and lost property compensated for.

Relations between the ex-Soviet republics have been tense since 1991 when the Armenian military occupied Nagorno-Karabakh, a territory recognized as part of Azerbaijan, and seven adjacent regions.

New clashes erupted Sept. 27, and the Armenian army continued its attacks on civilians and Azerbaijani forces for 44 days, violating three humanitarian cease-fire agreements.

On the front line, Baku liberated several cities and nearly 300 settlements and villages from Armenian occupation.

Turkey welcomed the Nov. 10 truce as a “great victory” for Azerbaijan.

Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian, meanwhile, said signing the deal that allowed Azerbaijan to claim control over regions it took back in the fighting was “unspeakably painful.”

Prior to the second Karabakh war, about 20% of Azerbaijan’s territory was under illegal Armenian occupation for nearly three decades.

The United Nations Human Rights Council’s “baseless claims” on the use of Syrian fighters in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict between Azerbaijan and Armenia are completely disconnected from reality and damage the organization’s credibility, the Turkish Foreign Ministry stated Friday.

“The reason why this fake news was circulating is Armenia’s effort to create the perception that it is allegedly a ‘victim country fighting against international terrorism’ and to divert attention from its illegal occupation,” the ministry said in a written statement.

“It was proven that Armenia recorded members of the Syrian National Army and published this as alleged evidence on the internet. These fake videos and words of persons who were made to speak in return for money have neither credibility nor validity,” it added.

The ministry said releasing the report based on fake footage and news without waiting for Turkey’s views damaged the U.N.’s credibility, adding that it expected the body to refrain from biased and misleading statements and conduct its work transparently while consulting all relevant parties.

The Foreign Ministry’s statement came after the U.N. Human Rights Council wrote Wednesday that there were widespread reports that “the Government of Azerbaijan, with Turkey’s assistance, relied on Syrian fighters to shore-up and sustain its military operations in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict zone.”

On the other hand, the ministry said that the report indicating that Armenia used foreign fighters in the conflict was a positive step though insufficient.

The ministry underlined that it is known that Armenia positioned YPG/PKK terrorists in Nagorno-Karabakh, noting that even Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian admitted that a large number of ethnic Armenians from its diaspora participated in the fighting.

“We would expect special rapporteurs to investigate this information and footage, which can be found in open sources, in a more detailed manner,” the ministry said.

The statement also pointed out that while deliberate attacks on civilians were mentioned in the report, it was intentional negligence that Armenia was not stated as the perpetrator.

The ministry further reminded that Human Rights Watch (HRW) and Amnesty International also reported Armenia’s illegal acts during the conflict.

Baku and Yerevan signed a Russian-brokered agreement on Nov. 10 to end the fighting that erupted in September and work toward a comprehensive solution.

HRW last month urged Armenia to stop using internationally banned weapons amid clashes with Azerbaijan and described the act as a “flagrant disregard for civilian life and international law.”

“Armenian forces either fired or supplied internationally banned cluster munitions and at least one other type of long-range rocket used in an attack on the city of Barda, 230 kilometers (143 miles) west of Azerbaijan’s capital Baku on Oct. 28,” the rights group said.

ARussian delegation will visit Turkey to discuss the peace deal reached on Nagorno-Karabakh, Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar announced Thursday.

“Tomorrow, a large delegation will come (to Turkey) from Russia,” Akar told Parliament’s Planning and Budget Committee. “Tactically and technically, it will be discussed who will be located where and who will do what (in Karabakh).

“The point we are trying to arrive at is a permanent cease-fire, providing stability, peace and normalization, opening the borders, spreading prosperity, ensuring that no one violates another’s rights,” he said.

Reiterating that Azerbaijan’s lands have been under Armenian occupation for nearly 30 years, Akar said: “At this point, it is really absurd to try to teach Azerbaijan about humanity and peace. Azerbaijan is doing nothing but defending its home, its land.”

Akar visited Azerbaijani Defense Minister Zakir Hasanov on Wednesday to hail the liberation of territories from Armenian occupation as a result of the Russia-brokered deal between Azerbaijan and Armenia.

He also attended a ceremony held in connection with the Azerbaijani army’s successes against Armenian occupying forces in Nagorno-Karabakh, an internationally recognized territory of Azerbaijan.

Relations between the ex-Soviet republics have been tense since 1991, but new clashes erupted on Sept. 27.

On Nov. 10, the two countries signed the agreement for a long-term and comprehensive solution to the three-decade-long conflict.

The deal declared a complete cease-fire and ended more than six weeks of fighting. Baku liberated nearly 300 of its settlements, including the strategic city of Shusha, during this period.

In his speech Wednesday, Akar said the relationship between Turkey and Azerbaijan will last forever as “two states, one nation.”

While the international media was focused on the post-election transition in the U.S., an extraordinary process was taking place in the Nagorno-Karabakh war between Azerbaijan and Armenia. Despite their interests in the region being at odds, Russia and Turkey once again resolved a regional crisis without the involvement of other international powers, including the U.S.

For the last decade, the U.S. has turned its attention toward the Asia-Pacific region. This led to a power gap in the Mediterranean, Baltics, North Africa, Caucasus and even the Middle East.

The Syrian civil war served as a litmus test for this paradigmatic change in the international arena. Washington left Syria’s fate to Moscow and Tehran, while Russia has taken the stage in the Middle East and consolidated its status in the Eastern Mediterranean.

In response to the attempts of European powers to integrate Ukraine into their own continental system, Russia annexed not only Crimea but also Donetsk, an industrial region in eastern Ukraine. In the Caucasus, Russia separated Abkhazia from Georgia and incorporated the region into its own sphere of influence.

In Libya, when the United Nations-recognized Government of National Accord (GNA) was under the threat of putschist Gen. Khalifa Haftar forces, Turkey provided crucial political and military support for the country’s legitimate government. As a result, not only has the GNA consolidated its political power but also captured a number of cities from Haftar’s forces.

Turkey supports the legitimate government of Fayez Sarraj, while Haftar is backed by France, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Greece and Russia.

The U.S. position remains ambiguous in the Libyan crisis, and Turkey and Russia have again come face to face in the region. Instead of getting into a conflict, the two have negotiated their terms with each other as they did in other regional crises.

When the Cold War ended, Armenia waged war against Azerbaijan and occupied 20% of its lands. During the last 30 years, international institutions did nothing tangible to put an end to the Armenian occupation of the Azerbaijani lands.

Recently, Armenia waged yet another war against Azerbaijan despite the latter’s economic, demographic and military superiority.

It was political suicide for Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian as Azerbaijan swiftly emancipated almost half of the occupied lands of the Nagorno-Karabakh region.

Before the conclusion of the U.S. elections, an agreement was reached between Russia, Azerbaijan and Turkey. Armenia is now set to withdraw from the occupied lands.

While Turkey is connected to the Caucasus via a trade route through the region of Nakhchivan, the city of Khankendi (Stepanakert) is connected to Armenia through another corridor.

The Azerbaijani army acheived great success on the battlefield, while Turkey’s combat drones had a decisive influence on the course of the war.

Armenia has been defeated, and Russia has gained significant strategic advantages in the region. Meanwhile, France did not make any contribution whatsoever to the resolution of the crisis. Even though the regional interests of Russia and Turkey seem mutually exclusive, the two powerful countries succeeded in resolving yet another regional crisis through negotiations.