Nagorno-Karabakh: Armenia says ready to work towards ceasefire

Armenia has said it is prepared to work with international mediators to reach a ceasefire with Azerbaijan as the two rivals fight over the breakaway Nagorno-Karabakh region, where fierce clashes spilled into a sixth day. Armenia “stands ready” to engage with France, Russia and the United States, who co-chair the OSCE group of mediators to the conflict, “to re-establish a ceasefire regime”, the Armenian foreign ministry said in a statement on Friday. However, the statement added that “this aggression against Nagorno-Karabakh will continue to receive our strong and resolute response”. The development came after ethnic Armenian officials in the breakaway Nargorno-Karabakh region reported another 54 military casualties among Armenian-backed troops, bringing the death toll to 158 soldiers. Azerbaijan has not reported any military casualties but said 19 civilians have been killed in Armenian shelling. While Armenia’s statement marks the first sign that dialogue could be possible, Turkey’s foreign minister said that for Azerbaijan to agree to a ceasefire, Armenia must withdraw its forces. Speaking at a joint news conference with his Italian counterpart Luigi Di Maio, Mevlut Cavusoglu said on Friday that the deadlock “encourages Armenia to attack and illegally settle Armenian people to territories of another country”. “If the international community wants to do something about Upper Karabakh, they should get Armenia to leave Azerbaijani lands at once,” Cavusoglu said, adding that Turkey will support any effort in this direction. style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; top: 0; bottom: 0; right: 0; left: 0;">