On 4 December 2020 the UN Secretary General, António Guterres, welcomed the ongoing ceasefire agreement put in place following the conflict in the Nagorno-Karabakh region that was announced by the President of Azerbaijan, the Prime Minister of Armenia and the President of Russia through a joint statement on the 9th of November. Furthermore, he pledged humanitarian support to all of the civilians impacted by the conflict.

The ceasefire agreement has led to the deployment of thousands of Russian peacekeepers to Nagorno-Karabakh and bordering areas following six weeks of escalating conflict over the disputed region. The Secretary General further welcomed the continuing adherence to the terms of the agreement and called upon all of the involved parties to remain steadfast in their obligations, especially those  relating to the observance of human rights and international law. He also stated that he was aware of the 3rd of December joint statement concerning  the situation by the Heads of Delegation of the Co-Chairs countries of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) Minsk Group, which includes Russia, the United States,and many EU members,, while also urging Armenia and Azerbaijan to maintain discussions towards a lasting, peaceful resolution.

Mr. Gutteres stressed that the UN is prepared to respond to the humanitarian needs of those in the areas affected by the conflict, and to further bolster its assistance offered to Armenia and Azerbaijan in general, while also calling upon the collaboration of the parties involved to aid in the success of such efforts. The Secretary General ended his statement by encouraging the former belligerents to remain on a path that would favour “regional peace, stability, and prosperity”. 

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https://news.un.org/en/story/2020/12/1079302

Author: Charoula Papastefanaki; Editor: Maxime Grenier