UK says it welcomes Russia’s role in Nagorno Karabakh and is ” deeply concerned by reporting of continued targeting of civilian areas.”
Wendy Morton MP
Minister for the European Neighbourhood and the Americas
King Charles Street
London
SW1A 2AH
The Lord Alton of Liverpool
House of Lords
London
SW1A 0PW
www.gov.uk/fcdo Our ref: MC2020/20290
October 2020
Dear Lord Alton
Thank you for your email of 5 October to Lord (Tariq) Ahmad of Wimbledon about the Armenia-Azerbaijan Conflict. I am replying as the Minister for the European Neighbourhood and the Americas.
The British Government is concerned by the recent hostilities along the Line of Contact in the Nagorno-Karabakh zone and deeply regrets the loss of life. We continue to monitor the situation closely. We welcome the announcement of a Russian brokered humanitarian ceasefire on 7 October and urge both parties to abide by the ceasefire.
We are deeply concerned by reporting of continued targeting of civilian areas.
The Government supports the negotiations facilitated by the Co-Chairs of the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) Minsk Group aimed at securing a peaceful settlement to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. This includes full support for the Minsk Principles. The Foreign Secretary and the Canadian Foreign Minister issued a joint statement on 6 October, calling for both sides to end hostilities and ensure the protection of civilians.
I spoke to the Armenian and Azerbaijani Foreign Ministers on 28 September and called for immediate de-escalation and a return to the negotiating table. I highlighted that the only sustainable settlement will be a peacefully negotiated one. We have called on all actors, including external partners, to take steps to support an end to hostilities and a return to the negotiating table.
Our Embassies in Yerevan and Baku will continue to engage with their host governments to call for urgent de-escalation. The UK will continue to encourage both Armenia and Azerbaijan to return to substantive talks and work to make a negotiated resolution to the conflict happen.
Wendy Morton MP
Minister for the European Neighbourhood and the Americas
