Armenia Says it Is Ready to Work for Nagorno-Karabakh Ceasefire

Armenia said on Friday that it is ready to work towards a ceasefire in the disputed Nagorno-Karabakh region, where the country has been battling with Azerbaijan since Sunday.

Armenia’s foreign ministry said it “stands ready” to work with the US, France, and Russia “to re-establish a ceasefire regime.” The US, France, and Russia co-chair the Minsk Group, which was set up in 1992 by the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe to promote negotiations and peace talks over Nagorno-Karabakh.

Turkey has been accused of intervening in the conflict on behalf of Azerbaijan. On Friday, Armenia’s Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said he has evidence of Turkish support. “We have proof,” Pashinyan said. “They are using drones and Turkish F-16 to bomb civilian areas in Nagorno Karabakh.”

Pashinyan also accused Turkey of “once again advancing on a genocidal path,” referencing the Armenian genocide carried out by the Ottoman’s in the early 20th century.

“The situation is much more serious,” Pashinyan said when asked how the current fighting compares to clashes that broke out in 2016. “It would be more appropriate to compare it with what happened in 1915, when more than 1.5 million Armenians were slaughtered during the first genocide of the 20th century.”

Turkey has also been accused of sending fighters from northern Syria to fight in Nagorno-Karabakh. French President Emmanuel Macron said on Thursday that he has information that indicates Syrian fighters have traveled to Nagorno-Karabakh through Turkey.

The fighting in Nagorno-Karabakh entered its sixth day on Friday. Nearly 200 people have been confirmed killed, including 30 civilians.