SAWT BEIRUT INTERNATIONAL

| 26 April 2024, Friday |

Putin says Russia able to mediate in Azeri-Armenian conflict; Yerevan unhappy with Moscow

Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Friday that despite the Ukraine conflict, Moscow had enough resources to mediate in a conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan after a series of border skirmishes.

The fighting ended in a ceasefire two days ago after more than 200 people were killed in fighting linked to a decades-old struggle over the disputed enclave of Nagorno-Karabakh.

Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev told Putin on Friday that the conflict had “stabilised.”

Both sides blame each other for the deadliest clashes between them since a six-week war over Karabakh in 2020 left thousands dead.

Russia is a military ally of Armenia which also strives for friendly relations with Azerbaijan.

But in a sign of potential challenges, a senior Armenian official expressed unhappiness with the response of a Russian-led military alliance to Yerevan’s request for help, Interfax news agency reported.

Armenia asked the Moscow-led Collective Security Treaty Organisation (CSTO) to intervene, but so far it has just sent a fact-finding team to the region.

Noting Armenia also had a treaty on mutual assistance with Russia, he said “we expect more tangible steps from our Russian partners, not just statements or half words.”

Putin held a phone call with Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan on Friday to discuss the clashes and Pashinyan also talked to French President Emmanuel Macron and U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Yerevan said.

Macron’s office said he had reaffirmed French support for the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Armenia.

U.S. House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi on Friday confirmed she would make a snap visit to Armenia this weekend.

    Source:
  • Reuters