UNRIC Library Backgrounder: Nagorno-Karabakh Conflict

Nagorno-Karabakh Conflict UN News Centre – Nagorno-Karabakh https://news.un.org/en/tags/nagorno-karabakh

UN Entities •

United Nations in Armenia: https://www.un.am/en/ https://unsdg.un.org/un-in-action/armenia

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United Nations in Azerbaijan: http://unazerbaijan.org/en/ https://unsdg.un.org/un-in-action/azerbaijan

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International Organization for Migration (IOM) o o o

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United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) o

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refworld on Nagorno Karabakh: https://www.refworld.org/cgibin/texis/vtx/rwmain?page=search&skip=0&query=Nagorno+Karabakh&coi=

United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) o o

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Armenia: https://www.ohchr.org/EN/countries/ENACARegion/Pages/AMIndex.aspx Azerbaijan: https://www.ohchr.org/EN/countries/ENACARegion/Pages/AZIndex.aspx

Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) o

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ReliefWeb on Nagorno-Karabakh: https://reliefweb.int/updates?search=Nagorno-Karabakh

Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) o o

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Armenia: https://www.iom.int/countries/armenia Azerbaijan: https://www.iom.int/countries/azerbaijan Potential for mass displacement as conflict intensifies in Nagorno-Karabakh (9 October 2020): https://www.iom.int/news/potential-mass-displacement-conflict-intensifiesnagorno-karabakh

Europe and Central Asia: https://www.unicef.org/eca/ UNICEF statement on one month of fighting in and beyond Nagorno-Karabakh (28 October 2020): https://www.unicef.org/press-releases/unicef-statement-one-month-fighting-andbeyond-nagorno-karabakh UNICEF statement on the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict (17 October 2020): https://www.unicef.org/press-releases/unicef-statement-nagorno-karabakh-conflict-0 UNICEF Statement on the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict (6 October 2020): https://www.unicef.org/press-releases/unicef-statement-nagorno-karabakh-conflict

United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) o

Nagorno-Karabakh: Reaffirming the obligation to protect cultural goods, UNESCO proposes sending a mission to the field to all parties (20 November 2020): https://en.unesco.org/news/nagorno-karabakh-reaffirming-obligation-protect-culturalgoods-unesco-proposes-sending-mission

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World Health Organization – Regional Office for Europe (WHO/Europe) o o o

Armenia: https://www.euro.who.int/en/countries/armenia Azerbaijan: https://www.euro.who.int/en/countries/azerbaijan WHO delivers emergency medical supplies in response to conflict in and around NagornoKarabakh (27 October 2020): https://www.euro.who.int/en/health-topics/healthemergencies/pages/news/news/2020/10/who-delivers-emergency-medical-supplies-inresponse-to-conflict-in-and-around-nagorno-karabakh

Security Council •

Security Council Press elements on the situation in Nagorno-Karabakh, 29 September 2020: https://twitter.com/UKUN_NewYork/status/1311073097420804098

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Repertoire of Security Council Practice: The situation relating to Nagorny-Karabakh 1989-1992, 1993-1995: https://www.un.org/securitycouncil/content/repertoire/europe#cat14

Selected UN Documents •

S/2020/1104 (11 November 2020): Letter dated 10 November 2020 from the Permanent Representative of the Russian Federation to the United Nations addressed to the President of the Security Council: https://undocs.org/S/2020/1104 Transmits a statement by the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, the Prime Minister of the Republic of Armenia and the President of the Russian Federation on a complete ceasefire and termination of all hostilities in the area of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, signed on 9 November 2020.

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S/2020/996 (12 October 2020): Letter dated 10 October 2020 from the Permanent Representative of the Russian Federation to the United Nations addressed to the Secretary-General: https://undocs.org/S/2020/996 Transmits statement by the Ministers for Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation, Azerbaijan and Armenia concerning the declaration of a humanitarian ceasefire between Azerbaijan and Armenia for 10 Oct. 2020.

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Security Council resolution 884 (1993): https://undocs.org/S/RES/884(1993)

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Security Council resolution 874 (1993): https://undocs.org/S/RES/874(1993)

on the conflict in and around Nagorny Karabakh

on settlement of the conflict in and around Nagorny Karabakh

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Security Council resolution 853 (1993): https://undocs.org/S/RES/853(1993)

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Security Council resolution 822 (1993): https://undocs.org/S/RES/822(1993)

on the seizure of the district of Agdam and of all other recently occupied areas of Azerbaijan

on the conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan

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Further UN documents on “Nagorny Karabakh Situation” – click here

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UN Member States on the Record Armenia: https://library.un.org/unms?combine=armenia Azerbaijan: https://library.un.org/unms?combine=azerbaijan This site provides access to information about membership and statements of Member States at the United Nations.

Selected Statements and Speeches by UN Officials •

Nagorno-Karabakh: captives must be released – UN experts (1 February 2021):

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Welcoming continuing ceasefire in Nagorno-Karabakh situation, Secretary-General urges Armenia, Azerbaijan to resume talks for peaceful settlement (SG/SM/20473, 4 December 2020): https://www.un.org/press/en/2020/sgsm20473.doc.htm

https://www.ohchr.org/EN/NewsEvents/Pages/DisplayNews.aspx?NewsID=26702&LangID=E

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Mercenaries in and around the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict zone must be withdrawn – UN experts (11 November 2020): https://www.ohchr.org/EN/NewsEvents/Pages/DisplayNews.aspx?NewsID=26494&LangID=E

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Nagorno-Karabakh conflict: Bachelet warns of possible war crimes as attacks continue in populated areas (2 November 2020): https://www.ohchr.org/EN/NewsEvents/Pages/DisplayNews.aspx?NewsID=26464&LangID=E

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Deeply concerned about reports of continuing Armenian-Azerbaijan hostilities, SecretaryGeneral fully supports call for immediate humanitarian ceasefire (SG/SM/20386, 31 October 2020): https://www.un.org/press/en/2020/sgsm20386.doc.htm Welcoming Joint Statement on humanitarian ceasefire, Secretary-General urges Armenia, Azerbaijan to resume talks towards peaceful resolution (SG/SM/20367, 25 October 2020) https://www.un.org/press/en/2020/sgsm20367.doc.htm Statement by the WHO Regional Director for Europe on the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict (22 October 2020, Copenhagen, Denmark): https://www.euro.who.int/en/mediacentre/sections/statements/2020/statement-by-the-who-regional-director-for-europeon-the-nagorno-karabakh-conflict Civilian deaths ‘totally unacceptable’, Secretary-General stresses, condemning all attacks on populated areas amid conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh (SG/SM/20347, 18 October 2020): https://www.un.org/press/en/2020/sgsm20347.doc.htm Secretary-General welcomes humanitarian ceasefire agreement between Azerbaijan, Armenia, urges global support for parties’ work towards peaceful resolutions (SG/SM/20328, 10 October 2020): https://www.un.org/press/en/2020/sgsm20328.doc.htm Nagorno-Karabakh conflict: Bachelet urges protection for civilians amid escalation in hostilities (9 October 2020) : https://www.ohchr.org/EN/NewsEvents/Pages/DisplayNews.aspx?NewsID=26365 Condemning continuing escalation of violence in Nagorno-Karabakh conflict zone, Secretary-General appeals for immediate ceasefire, return to negotiations (SG/SM/20311, 5 October 2020): https://www.un.org/press/en/2020/sgsm20311.doc.htm Comment by UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet on NagornoKarabakh conflict (29 September 2020): https://www.ohchr.org/EN/NewsEvents/Pages/DisplayNews.aspx?NewsID=26314 Note to correspondents on the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict (28 September 2020): https://www.un.org/sg/en/content/sg/note-correspondents/2020-09-28/notecorrespondents-the-nagorno-karabakh-conflict ‘Extremely concerned’ over fresh Nagorno-Karabakh hostilities, Secretary-General condemns use of force, calling for return to meaningful talks (SG/SM/20284, 27 September 2020): https://www.un.org/press/en/2020/sgsm20284.doc.htm Refrain from provocative rhetoric, Secretary-General urges following reported deadly exchanges of fire along Armenia-Azerbaijan border (SG/SM/20175, 13 July 2020): https://www.un.org/press/en/2020/sgsm20175.doc.htm Secretary-General welcomes recommitment by Armenia, Azerbaijan towards finding peaceful solution to Nagorno-Karabakh conflict (SG/SM/19524, 29 March 2019): https://www.un.org/press/en/2019/sgsm19524.doc.htm Secretary-General encourages Armenia, Azerbaijan to take confidence-building steps towards peaceful settlement of Nagorno-Karabakh conflict (SG/SM/19266, 29 September 2018): https://www.un.org/press/en/2018/sgsm19266.doc.htm Welcoming Summit on Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, Secretary-General encourages building on positive momentum for peaceful negotiated settlement (SG/SM/18751, 16 October 2017): https://www.un.org/press/en/2017/sgsm18751.doc.htm Secretary-General welcomes recent talks on Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, hopes planned Armenia-Azerbaijan Summit will ‘find peaceful compromise solutions’ (SG/SM/18726, 26 September 2017): https://www.un.org/press/en/2017/sgsm18726.doc.htm

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Non-UN Sources •

OSCE Minsk Group: https://www.osce.org/mg

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Security Council Report - What’s in Blue: Nagorno-Karabakh consultations, 19 October 2020: https://www.whatsinblue.org/2020/10/nagorno-karabakh-consultations.php

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International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC)

The Minsk Group, the activities of which have become known as the Minsk Process, spearheads the OSCE's efforts to find a peaceful solution to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. It is co-chaired by France, the Russian Federation, and the United States.

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Armenia: https://www.icrc.org/en/where-we-work/europe-central-asia/armenia Azerbaijan: https://www.icrc.org/en/where-we-work/europe-central-asia/azerbaijan

1 February 2021 not an official document – for information only https://unric.org/en/unric-library-backgrounder-nagorno-karabakh-conflict/