The United Nations reaffirmed that the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Azerbaijan should be respected as Armenians in Karabakh, recaptured from Armenia in a 2020 war, recently went to polls to install their own leaders, to the chagrin of Baku.
Answering questions at a news conference at the U.N. headquarters in New York on Tuesday, the U.N. Spokesperson Stephane Dujarric reminded of U.N. Security Council resolutions on the issue affirming the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Azerbaijan and urged “full respect” to both. "The Secretary-General urges Armenia and Azerbaijan to intensify efforts towards the long-term normalization of relations for the benefit of peace and security in the region,” he added.
On Saturday, separatist Armenians in the Karabakh region of Azerbaijan held self-proclaimed elections to choose a new separatist president. This move was not recognized by many countries, including Azerbaijan, Türkiye, the United States and the United Kingdom, as well as the European Union.
Relations between Azerbaijan and Armenia have been tense since 1991 when the Armenian military occupied Nagorno-Karabakh, a territory internationally recognized as part of Azerbaijan, and seven adjacent regions. In the fall of 2020, Azerbaijan liberated several cities, villages, and settlements from Armenian occupation during 44 days of clashes. The war ended with a Russia-brokered peace agreement.
Despite ongoing talks over a long-term peace agreement, tensions between Azerbaijan and Armenia rose in recent months over the Lachin road, the only land route giving Armenia access to the Karabakh region, where Azerbaijan established a border checkpoint in April on the grounds of preventing the illegal transport of military arms and equipment to the region.
