Conflict and Peace

The European Union has issued a statement on the occasion of the first anniversary of the end of the 44 day Karabakh War. In the statement by the Spokesperson, the EU called for the strict respect for the ceasefire, the immediate release of all remaining prisoners, full cooperation on demining, and the de-escalation of tensions in border areas.

In a joint op-ed, Dr Benyamin Poghosyan and Dr Anar Valiyev discuss how Armenia and Azerbaijan have coped with the changed realities of the last year following the end of the 44-day Karabakh War and the signing of the Armenia-Azerbaijan-Russia trilateral declaration of 10 November 2021. They say the "war has redefined the South Caucasus, and it continues to do so. The heavy price paid by those who died should not be in vain. The opportunity for peace is now within the grasp of the people of the region. It will not be easy to achieve peace, nor is the risk of a spiral back to violence to be completely excluded. Which is why it is now time for cool heads, sober assessments, and careful but courageous steps, by the leaders, as well as by wider society.”

"When playing on Armenian vulnerabilities, both Azerbaijan and Turkey should take into account that each step aimed at increasing fears in Armenia leads to a new level of dependence on Russia", writes Alexander Petrosyan in this op-ed. "In the end, everything is a matter of interpretation and perception", he argues.

A year has passed since the end of the 44 day Karabakh War. Relations between Armenia and Azerbaijan are generally stable despite periodic escalations, writes Vasif Husseynov. "The statements of the leaders from both sides along with some major developments promise a more peaceful year ahead", he argues.

Several countries, including Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, the United States and Britain, called in a joint statement for the restoration of Sudan’s civilian-led transitional government and reverse the military coup that happened two weeks ago. 

The United Nations condemned the atrocities committed in the conflict over Tigray and accused all parties of committing humanitarian abuses. However, the report is also a subject of doubt due to the rare collaboration between the UN and the Ethiopian rights commission and the lack of alternative investigations.