In Nagorno-Karabakh, negotiations for the reintegration of this separatist province populated by Armenians with Azerbaijan seem to be progressing. On Thursday, officials from the breakaway enclave and Azerbaijan met in the Azerbaijani town of Yevlakh. A first meeting placed under the imperative of reintegrating Karabakh under Azerbaijani jurisdiction, after, on Tuesday, the forces of Azerbaijan undertook a large-scale military offensive, pushing the separatists to accept a ceasefire as of the following day. Another meeting took place this Friday, September 22.
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With our special correspondent in Yerevan, Régis Genté
Another meeting between separatists and Azerbaijani authorities was held this Friday, this one secret, more important than that of Yevlakh. It was in the town of Shusha that the newly elected President of Nagorno-Karabakh, Samvel Shahramanyan, and the head of Azerbaijan’s security services, Ali Naghiyev, met. This was revealed by Armenian journalist Tatoul Hakobian.
Disarmament
We do not know what was discussed there, but the announcements this Friday evening suggest that there was talk of disarmament of the Nagorno-Karabakh defense forces, amnesty for fighters, the right of movement of population of the secessionist Armenian enclave, or even humanitarian aid. Subjects which were perhaps also discussed in Yevlakh, with less high-ranking personalities than those at the Choucha meeting.
A form of surrender
But the Yevlakh meeting seems to have been intended more to stage a form of capitulation of Karabakh de facto independent, rather than actually resolving urgent issues. The fact remains that things are moving forward, but to the advantage of the Azerbaijani side which imposes its conditions. Humanitarian aid has finally been delivered to Stepanakert, the capital of Nagorno-Karabakh, while the region’s perhaps 120,000 inhabitants have been under a very severe embargo for nine months.
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