Georgian President Offers Platform for Armenia and Azerbaijan to Negotiate in Tbilisi

The President of Georgia, Salome Zourabichvili, has reached out to the leaders of Armenia and Azerbaijan, announcing that she is ready to provide a platform in Tbilisi for negotiations in any format regarding the resolution of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, TASS news agency reports.

"I wish to appeal to the Presidents and authorities of Armenia and Azerbaijan to restore dialogue between them as quickly as possible, to call for a de-escalation and to cease fire. We are prepared to make our country, Tbilisi, a place where any negotiations can take place. We are ready to do everything that the parties would wish," said Zourabichvili after a National Security Council meeting dedicated to the conflict.

The President also addressed the co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group, emphasizing their significant role in resolving the conflict. She also requested the EU to intervene and impact the ceasefire, as all three countries are participants of the Eastern Partnership program in the Caucasus.

"Our stability and peace in this region are of interest to the European Union. It must exert its influence for peace and stabilizing the situation," the leader added.

It is noteworthy that on September 27, Azerbaijani armed forces began a large-scale attack in Artsakh, targeting also the civilian population. As of yesterday, Artsakh's armed forces shot down 17 enemy helicopters, 20 aircraft (4 Su-25), 113 drones, and 250 units of armored vehicles, mainly tanks, 82 vehicles, 10 armored personnel carriers, one TOS-1A heavy flamethrower system, two Smerch and one Uragan multiple launch rocket systems. The enemy has over 3,000 casualties and thousands of injuries.

On the Armenian side, preliminary data indicate there are 158 dead and over 200 injured. Azerbaijani armed forces have also targeted military and civilian infrastructure in Artsakh and the Republic of Armenia, resulting in the deaths of 2 civilians in Gegharkunik and 11 in Artsakh. Journalists from both foreign and local media have been injured due to Azerbaijani shelling.

A state of military emergency has been declared in Armenia and Artsakh on September 27.