Armenia and Azerbaijan signed a peace deal on Tuesday to end the conflict over the disputed Nagorno-Karabakh region. The agreement was brokered by Russia after six weeks of intense fighting that left thousands dead and displaced many more.
Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan of Armenia hailed the deal as a “milestone” on the road to peace between the two rivals. However, not everyone is pleased with the agreement. Protesters in Armenia have accused Pashinyan of betrayal, claiming that he caved in to Azerbaijani pressure and gave up too much in the negotiations.
The peace deal includes provisions for the deployment of Russian peacekeepers to the region, as well as the return of territories that Armenia had controlled for decades. Under the agreement, Azerbaijan will retain control of areas captured during the recent fighting, while Armenia will withdraw its forces from the region.
The conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh dates back to the collapse of the Soviet Union in the early 1990s. The region is internationally recognized as part of Azerbaijan, but it has been controlled by ethnic Armenians since a war in the 1990s. The recent fighting was the worst outbreak of violence in the region in decades, with both sides accusing each other of atrocities and war crimes.
The peace deal has been met with mixed reactions in both countries. In Azerbaijan, President Ilham Aliyev hailed the agreement as a victory for his country, while in Armenia, opposition parties have called for Pashinyan’s resignation. Many Armenians feel that their government has failed to protect their interests in the negotiations.
Despite the controversy surrounding the peace deal, many experts believe that it represents a step towards ending the conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh. The deployment of Russian peacekeepers to the region is seen as a positive development, as it could help prevent further violence and stabilize the situation on the ground.
In the coming days and weeks, it will be crucial for both Armenia and Azerbaijan to uphold their end of the agreement and work towards a lasting peace in Nagorno-Karabakh. The international community, including Russia, Turkey, and the United States, will also play a key role in ensuring that the terms of the deal are implemented and that both sides adhere to their commitments.
As the dust settles on the conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh, it is clear that there are no easy solutions to the long-standing dispute between Armenia and Azerbaijan. Both countries have deep historical and cultural ties to the region, and any lasting peace will require compromise and concessions from both sides.
The road to peace in Nagorno-Karabakh will be long and challenging, but the signing of the peace deal represents a glimmer of hope for a resolution to one of the most intractable conflicts in the Caucasus region. Only time will tell whether this agreement will lead to lasting stability and security for the people of Armenia and Azerbaijan.