Few Know That the 1994 Ceasefire Agreement Was Signed Between Nagorno-Karabakh and Azerbaijan: Vladimir Kazimirov

“I have no doubt that the war was initiated by Azerbaijan. It is pointless to think that the Armenians suddenly needed to capture any heights or territories from Azerbaijan. Moreover, this war was essential for Ilham Aliyev to have something to say to his people, wanting to prove that he can take by force the territories that were conceded in the 1990s,” expressed Vladimir Kazimirov, the first co-chairman of the OSCE Minsk Group, during an interview with the “Zhoghovurd” newspaper, discussing the war that began in Artsakh on September 27.

Furthermore, he noted in our conversation that the first version of the ceasefire agreement, which he himself prepared, was signed between Baku and Stepanakert. Subsequently, Armenia also joined that agreement. “It is necessary to rely on the agreement that was signed with Heydar Aliyev as before. He has told me several times in Baku and asked that he was ready to sign the agreement. Former Minister Mamedov signed it, and few know that the agreement at that time was initially signed not between Armenia and Azerbaijan, but between Nagorno-Karabakh and Azerbaijan. Only later did Armenia join that agreement, while initially Azerbaijan had to sign it with Nagorno-Karabakh,” he pointed out.

Kazimirov, as proof, suggested looking at the document signed on May 12, 1994, where it can clearly be seen that on the left side was the signature of Azerbaijan, and on the right side that of Nagorno-Karabakh, with Armenia's signature placed in the middle of the document later:

“This refers to the ceasefire established in May 1994, after which another trilateral agreement was signed on July 27, this time with the mediation of the OSCE.” The former head of the Russian mediation mission on the Nagorno-Karabakh issue, Vladimir Kazimirov, also notes that in early May 1994, the Azerbaijani leadership was interested in a ceasefire. “Previously, the Azerbaijani leadership either did not express a desire to take this step or raised preconditions that were sometimes evidently unrealistic, or broke agreements, but this time the desire was expressed more resolutely, and at the highest level,” the newspaper writes.

Read the full article in today’s issue of the newspaper.