Armenian/Azeri ceasefire in disputed Nagorno-Karabakh not a replacement for ‘permanent solution’ to conflict, Turkey says

The Russian mediated ceasefire between Azerbaijan and Armenia over the disputed Nagorno-Karabakh region cannot be considered a solution to the conflict, the Turkish Foreign Ministry has said, reaffirming its support for Baku.

The suspension of hostilities in the contested region, brokered in Moscow overnight, is “an important first step,” but it “will not replace a permanent solution,” Ankara said on Saturday.

Turkey “will continue to stand by Azerbaijan on the battlefield and at the negotiations table,” the statement from the Turkish Foreign Ministry added.

Hostilities in Nagorno-Karabakh, a breakaway region of Azerbaijan supported by Armenia, reignited on September 27. Each of the belligerents accused the other side of provoking the escalation, which has seen the worst fighting in the area since the 1990s, when the predominantly ethnic Armenian people living in Nagorno-Karabakh fought a protracted war against Azerbaijan.

On Friday, Russia hosted talks between the foreign ministers of Azerbaijan and Armenia, who agreed to suspend all military action starting on Saturday at noon local time. The ceasefire was announced on humanitarian grounds, to allow for the exchange of prisoners and for the bodies of people killed during the hostilities to receive proper burials.

Turkey notably did not join international calls to stop the fighting and instead cheered on Azerbaijan, saying it was within its rights to try and resolve the situation through force.

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