NEWTIMES

The Second Karabakh War ended with the signing of a trilateral declaration by Russia, Azerbaijan, and Armenia on November 10, 2020, that effectively ended the protracted three-decade-long conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan. The declaration contained many important provisions that not only ensured the cessation of military hostilities, but also the de-occupation of the remaining Azerbaijani territories, including the cities of Kalbajar (by November 15, 2020) and Aghdam and Lachin (by December 1, 2020) without further fighting (Articles 2 and 6).

The year 2020 was unprecedented for most nations around the world owing to the many challenges ushered in by the COVID-19-induced global pandemic. For Azerbaijanis and Armenians, last year is also remembered for the 44-day war that effectively ended the three-decades-long protracted conflict between their two nations over the Nagorno-Karabakh region of Azerbaijan.

The five-week-long war in the South Caucasus between Armenia and Azerbaijan for control over Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding districts has ended in a Russia-brokered ceasefire. President Putin has managed to score yet another victory in the region, establishing a foothold, this time on the border with Iran.

Many reports indicate that Armenia relied on the help of mercenary groups from various countries including the PKK terrorist organization members.

Between 27 September and 10 November Armenia and Azerbaijan fought the second major war over the Nagorno-Karabakh region and surrounding districts of Azerbaijan which had been occupied by Armenia in the wake of the First Karabakh War in the early 1990s.

Deal envisions effective steps that will hopefully bring a complete end to the conflict

This working paper aims to analyze the mediation activity of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) Minsk Group through the prisms of theoretical approaches to international mediation. After providing a historical background to the mediation work of the Minsk Group Co-Chairs and highlighting the stages of the mediation, the article will further analyze the mediation work performed so far. Through the application and instrumentalization of the relevant concepts within the discipline of conflict resolution and international mediation, the work will conclude that, in terms of reaching a final solution, the mediation efforts of the OSCE Minsk Group should be characterized as, so far, being not successful.

The success of our diplomacy can be noticed in the military operations that started on September 27. Turkish officials unequivocally voiced their support for Azerbaijan and welcomed military assistance to our country. Russia has promised that it will not interfere in the internal affairs of its neighbours, while Iran has said it supports Azerbaijan's territorial integrity. As for the forces outside the region, such as the United States and France, their influence on the processes in the region is insignificant. The military-political situation in the South Caucasus is in favour of our state, and at this point, we must make more opportunities to ensure the sovereignty of our country in the occupied territories.

The counter-offensive operation to liberate the Nagorno-Karabakh region of Azerbaijan continues. Separatists' appetite in Karabakh and Armenia has increased due to the incomplete activity of those who mediated in the settlement of conflict for thirty years.

In the evening of September 25, the U.S. Embassy in Azerbaijan and in Armenia published security alerts that included updated travel advisories as a result of the increasing tensions between Armenia and Azerbaijan. The U.S. Embassy in Baku recommended that U.S. citizens should avoid travel outside of the Absheron Peninsula while the U.S. Embassy in Yerevan advised against travel to several regions in Armenia and explicitly warned against travel to Nagorno-Karabakh due to the increased risk of conflict.