On Sunday, October 1st, 2023, a United Nations Mission arrived in the disputed region of Nagorno – Karabakh for the first time after nearly 30 years. According to the reports by Azerbaijani Media, the mission is led by a senior United Nations aid official. The mission by the global body arrived in Nagorno – Karabakh amidst the ongoing mass exodus of the ethnic Armenian community.
The Nagorno – Karabakh status quo :
As per the reports by Azerbaijani media, a “United Nations mission arrived in Karabakh on Sunday morning”. It had been after three decades that the global body even gained access to the region. The ostensible purpose of the mission is to assess and provide humanitarian needs. Earlier, several international actors, including US Secretary of State – Anthony Blinken and and German Foreign Minister – Annalena Baerbock, called and asked for international or global observance over the fought over region and for the providence of humanitarian aid.
Since the Azerbaijani troops captured the region last month, the ethnic Armenians have been leaving the location swiftly. As of right now, almost all of the ethnic Armenian population has already departed from Nagorno – Karabakh. It had been announced by the World Health Organization ( WHO ) on Sunday, that an approximate number of over 100,000 ethnic Armenians from Nagorno – Karabakh had travelled to neighbouring Armenia.
Dr. Hans Henri P Kuge, who is the regional director of the World Health Organization Regional Office for Europe, announced in a statement that “We’ve activated our emergency systems”, he also added that they ( the WHO ) will also be providing experts to the country across a range of disciplines including mental health, burns management, essential health services. He also added that after gaining a full assessment of the needs, emergency coordination will also be provided.
Following the mass exodus of the ethnic Armenians, a refugee crisis has been subsequently triggered. Earlier, Yerevan accused Baku of “ethnic cleansing”. This allegation has been rejected by Baku.
Previously, the country of Armenia asked the World Court or the International Court of Justice ( ICJ ) to order Azerbaijani officials to pull out and withdraw their troops and personnel from civilian establishments in order to provide the United Nations access to the region of Nagorno – Karabakh.
Another point to note is that the International Court of Justice ordered the nation of Azerbaijan in February to ensure that there is free movement throughout the area known as the Lachin Corridor that leads to and from Nagorno – Karabakh.
Before the operation launched by the Azerbaijani military troops in the region of Nagorno – Karabakh on 19th September 2023, the region was controlled and ruled by Armenians for three decades. After the military operation, the Azerbaijanis subsequently took the region under their control.
Meanwhile, Azerbaijan is also reportedly holding talks of “reintegration” with the separatist leaders of Armenia whilst also detaining notable and senior figures from the former Armenian government and its military command. According to some media reports, Azerbaijani President – Ilham Aliyev and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashniyan are set to conduct a meeting on the matter on Thursday in the Spanish city of Granada. The talks will reportedly be mediated by the West and are aimed at working to end Yerevan’s and Baku’s historic animosity.
The relations between the two countries have been poisoned with antipathy for each other due to their ethnic hatred for each other. In the past few decades, wars have happened and negotiations mediated by Washington and Brussels have brought no major breakthrough for the relationship between the two countries.
