UN welcomes Azerbaijan-Armenia cease-fire, hopes it will hold

By Betul Yuruk

UNITED NATIONS (AA) - The UN welcomed the cease-fire reached between Azerbaijan and Armenia following the latest border flare-up between the two counties concerning Nagorno-Karabakh.

UN Assistant Secretary-General for Europe, Central Asia and Americas Miroslav Jenca told the 15-member Security Council that a deal had been agreed to late Wednesday starting at 8 p.m. local time.

''We welcome this agreement and hope the ceasefire will hold,'' he said.

Jenca urged both parties to return to talks and take steps toward the signing of a lasting peace treaty.

He also urged the international community to remain fully committed to a peaceful settlement and spare no effort to deescalate tensions. Azerbaijan has accused Armenia of "large-scale provocations" in recent days, saying saboteurs planted mines and Armenian forces carried out “intensive” firing on Azerbaijani positions.

The recent fighting claimed lives on both sides with Azerbaijan reporting 71 soldiers killed and two civilians wounded. Armenia said 105 of its soldiers were killed and six civilians were wounded.

Relations between the former Soviet republics of Armenia and Azerbaijan have been tense since 1991 when the Armenian military occupied Nagorno-Karabakh, also known as Upper Karabakh, a territory internationally recognized as part of Azerbaijan.

In 2020, Azerbaijan liberated several cities and more than 300 settlements and villages that were occupied by Armenia. The fighting ended with a deal brokered by Russia.