News - Military force cannot be used to overcome existing tensions, UK representative tells Azerbaijan

The United Kingdom is concerned about the serious pressures that the residents of Nagorno-Karabakh are suffering, the humanitarian need there is enormous and continues to grow, Minister of State for the Middle East, North Africa, South Asia and United Nations at the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office Lord Tariq Ahmad said during an emergency session of the UN Security Council convened on Armenia’s request to address the situation in Nagorno-Karabakh. He noted that a few days ago, they witnessed some progress when several trucks carrying humanitarian goods entered Nagorno-Karabakh, but this progress was interrupted when Azerbaijan announced that it was starting a military operation. "Along with many of our partners, the United Kingdom has called on Azerbaijan to end the use of force, refrain from further escalation and, importantly, return to dialogue. We fully understand the issues of sovereignty and territorial integrity, but military force cannot be used to overcome existing communal tensions. Direct dialogue is the only way to find real, lasting peace, real lasting solutions. Therefore, it is now very important to resume negotiations with the representatives of the Armenians of Karabakh, having a credible plan to ensure the rights and security of all residents of the region and giving them the opportunity to live in peace," he said. Lord Tariq Ahmad noted that further use of violence will only weaken the initial fragile progress between Armenia and Azerbaijan towards achieving a lasting peace agreement, which should be based on the sovereignty and territorial integrity of both states. "Undoubtedly, it is in the interests of the entire South Caucasus. The United Kingdom welcomes the ceasefire announced yesterday, so we call on all parties to respect that ceasefire, end the violence and urgently engage in open dialogue to build a safe, secure future for the people of the region. The United Kingdom assures that it is ready to support this important process in every possible way," he said.