Azerbaijan President Ilham Aliyev has asked the Armenian government to commit to returning territories it is currently occupying in the Nagorno-Karabakh region so that both countries can begin peace negotiations.
In an exclusive interview with Nikkei Asian Review Aliyev claimed that all attempts at a cease-fire agreement had largely failed because Armenia continues to violate any previously signed deals.
"Attempts to achieve a cease fire failed because two minutes after the cease fire had started, they violated and attacked our peaceful cities. They violated the cease-fire and a cease fire cannot be achieved unilaterally," Aliyev told Nikkei during the interview.
Since the conflict had escalated in late September, Russia has attempted to intervene by brokering a cease fire. Russian President Vladimir Putin had even invited officials from both sides to fly to Moscow to talk things out. Two cease-fire agreements have since been broken and fighting has continued in the contested Caucasus region of Nagorno-Karabakh.
According to the latest tally, more than 930 civilians and soldiers have been killed by the monthlong clashes. Azerbaijan has managed to gain ground and is advancing on several fronts.
Seven major districts in Nagorno-Karabakh are internationally recognized as part of Azerbaijan. However, Armenian forces backed by the government have taken control of some of those districts following the end of their war in 1994. Aliyev had demanded that Armenia commit to returning areas its forces control to Azerbaijan in exchange for peace.
In a post on Facebook, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan expressed pessimism over Aliyev's demands stating that coming to a unilateral agreement to cease hostilities would be difficult.
"We have to realize that the Karabakh question, at least at this stage and for a very long time, cannot have a diplomatic solution," Pashinyan said in his post.
U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo weighed in on the issue Wednesday, suggesting the implementation of a no-fly zone over the region. Pompeo, who is scheduled to meet with the foreign ministers of Armenia and Azerbaijan on Friday, said that the no-fly zone order could be enforced by the U.S., France, Russia and the "Minsk Group" if necessary to cease aerial bombardments.
Pompeo also called for neighboring countries to immediately cease providing weapons and supplies to the two nations to put an end to the conflict.
"The right path forward is to cease the conflict, tell them to de-escalate and that every country should stay out, provide no fuel for this conflict, no weapons systems, no support, and it is at that point that a diplomatic solution that would be acceptable to all can potentially be achieved," Pompeo said in a statement.
