‘We expect China and the world to tell Armenia enough is enough’: Azerbaijan blasts Nagorno-Karabakh mediators

Elchin Amirbayov tells Post of hope that world powers will enforce international law, with latest peace pact widely seen as a win for Azerbaijan

Mediators have spent too much time ‘pretending’ to be neutral to be effective, he says

Reading Time:4 minutes

Azerbaijan army soldiers fire artillery during fighting for control of Nagorno-Karabakh. Photo: AP

Published: 4:56pm, 10 Nov 2020Updated: 12:44pm, 16 Nov 2020

International mediators tasked with resolving the Nagorno-Karabakh territorial conflict between Azerbaijan and Armenia were ineffective because they were more keen on maintaining a facade of neutrality, a senior Azerbaijani official has said.

Speaking to the South China Morning Post days before Monday’s peace deal between the two countries, the Azerbaijani official Elchin Amirbayov said he hoped world powers including China would be unwavering in enforcing international law.

Under the latest deal, which follows large gains in territory by Azerbaijan after a military offensive, the two sides will retain the territory they currently control and Russian troops will be deployed to the area while a lasting settlement is negotiated.

Armenia’s Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said his participation in the accord “was unspeakably painful for me personally and for our people”.

Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan. Photo: AFP

“I have taken this decision as a result of an in-depth analysis of the military situation,” he added. Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev said Pashinyan had no choice but to agree.

Select Voice

Choose your listening speed

Get through articles 2x faster

1.25x

250 WPM

Slow

Average

Fast

00:0000:00

1.25x