By Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev are celebrating Azerbaijan’s recent military success in Nagorno-Karabakh, even as thousands of ethnic Armenians are fleeing the region and seeking refuge in Armenia.
Nagorno-Karabakh, a region with an ethnic Armenian majority but internationally recognized as part of Azerbaijan, witnessed a ceasefire being imposed on Armenian separatists following a 24-hour military operation by the much larger Azerbaijani military.
President Erdogan praised the defeat of the separatist forces and expressed hope that Armenia would take sincere measures to normalize relations and promote regional stability. He emphasized that a window of opportunity has opened for resolving the regional situation and stressed the importance of seizing this opportunity. He also expressed Turkey’s pride in Baku’s success in the military operation.
Erdogan noted that Turkey aims to strengthen ties by signing a gas pipeline deal, expressing satisfaction in “connecting Nakhchivan with the Turkish world.”
It’s important to note that many Armenians in Karabakh remain sceptical of Azerbaijan’s promises to protect their rights. The ethnic Armenian leadership has vowed to stay until all those who wish to leave, referred to as Artsakh by Armenians, have the opportunity to do so. They have encouraged residents to avoid overcrowding the exit routes and promised free fuel to those departing.
A second round of talks between Azerbaijani officials and separatist representatives began in Khojaly, with President Aliyev pledging to safeguard the rights of ethnic Armenians in Nagorno-Karabakh after Azerbaijan’s victory. He emphasized that the aid being sent from Baku illustrates that the residents of Karabakh, regardless of their ethnicity, are considered citizens of Azerbaijan and their rights will be protected.
It’s worth noting that Turkey supported Azerbaijan during the 2020 conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh, which is internationally recognized as part of Azerbaijan but predominantly populated by ethnic Armenians.
The situation has prompted a significant number of Armenians to seek refuge in Armenia, with over 4,850 people crossing into Armenia by late Monday morning, according to the Armenian government, marking an increase from approximately 3,000 people just seven hours earlier.
