Indian envoy to UN calls for diplomatic ways to settle Armenia-Azerbaijan conflicts

The Permanent Representative of India to the United Nations, Ruchira Kamboj emphasised the need for international law to serve as the foundation of the world order and urged Armenia and Azerbaijan to explore diplomatic channels to find a long-term peaceful settlement. These statements came after the Indian envoy to the UN talked about the recent acts of violence along the border between Armenia and Azerbaijan during the UNSC emergency briefing.  

Kamboj stated, “It has been our consistent submission that such disputes should be settled through diplomacy and dialogue.” Any conflict cannot be resolved militarily or via violence, she added. “We encourage both sides to pursue diplomatic pathways to arrive at a lasting peaceful solution”, she noted. 

According to the Associated Press report, the border confrontations between Armenia and Azerbaijan have claimed the lives of nearly 155 soldiers on both sides, raising concerns of potentially more intense hostilities, following the intense outbreak of violence between the neighbours and longstanding foes in over two years.  

In the briefing, Kamboj urged all nations to respect each other's territorial integrity and sovereignty as well as restated that the global order must be anchored in Internation law.  

Ruchira Kamboj warned of a major danger to the peace and stability due to the hostilities

The Indian envoy to the UN further mentioned that they can now begin to properly evaluate why the situation is so tense, particularly along the border between Armenia and Azerbaijan, due to the UNSC's informal discussions. She said, “The violent hostilities in Nagorno Karabakh in September 2020 are still fresh in our minds." She continued by saying that the reports of recent strikes along the Armenia-Azerbaijan border, particularly the targeting of civilian infrastructure and villages, are a serious worry, ANI reported.  

Kamboj even warned that these activities constitute a major danger to the peace and stability in the area and urged the aggressor party to immediately halt hostilities and display restraint. 

The representative also highlighted that the UNSC cannot afford to remain silent and watch as things continue to get worse. The Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) Minsk Group in Europe and the Russian-mediated cease-fire on November 9 both offer practical avenues for resolving all outstanding issues. 

US urged restraint as violence on the Armenia-Azerbaijan border erupts

Apart from this, the United States has also urged restraint as violence on the boundary between Armenia and Azerbaijan has resulted in the deaths of around 100 personnel on both sides. John Kirby, the spokesperson for the National Security Council, said, “We have long said, but it remains, I think, important and it needs to be said again that there can be no military solution to this conflict," Associated Press reported.  

It is pertinent to mention that Nagorno-Karabakh seceded from Azerbaijan with the help of Armenia in the early 1990s following a deadly post-Soviet struggle. Azerbaijan and Armenia waged a battle over the area in 2020, and Baku was able to retake some of the territories that the separatists had previously held. 

(Image: Twitter/ @ANI)