Azerbaijan not in favor of deploying Russian observers in Karabakh "yet"

PanARMENIAN.Net - Azerbaijan does not yet support the idea of deploying Russian military observers in a proposed verification mechanism in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict zone, aide to the Azerbaijani President Hikmet Hajiyev said in an interview with El Mundo.

"We do not believe that the deployment of the military personnel (Russian military observers - Ed.) is appropriate right now. We don't need them at the moment," Hajiyev was quoted as saying on Friday, October 16.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov earlier said it would be "correct" to deploy Russian military observers on the contact line in Nagorno-Karabakh, but the final decision is up to the sides of the conflict.

The Armenian side, meanwhile, maintains that verification mechanisms on the ground in Karabakh are key in terms of demonstrating which party is not honoring the ceasefire.

Azerbaijan, with help from Turkey and Syrian and Libyan mercenaries deployed by Ankara, started a war against Karabakh (Artsakh) in the morning of September 27. The Armenian side has reported deaths and injuries both among the civilian population and the military. Foreign and local journalists too have been injured in Azeri shelling of towns and villages.

Donations can be made to Hayastan All-Armenian Fund, which has launched a fundraising campaign to support humanitarian efforts in Karabakh.