Comprehensive peace is possible between Armenia and Azerbaijan, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said on Tuesday after renewed clashes between the two South Caucasus countries last week.
"We believe that it is possible to sign a comprehensive peace agreement between the two countries as soon as possible," Erdoğan said, speaking at the United Nations General Assembly in New York.
Armenia and Azerbaijan agreed to a cease-fire last week, ending two days of violence linked to a decades-old dispute between the former Soviet states over the territory of Karabakh, formerly referred to as Nagorno-Karabakh.
Baku has accused Yerevan of "large-scale provocations," saying saboteurs planted mines and Armenian forces carried out "intensive" firing on Azerbaijani positions.
The fighting, from Sept. 12-14, was the deadliest since a six-week war in 2020 that left thousands dead and saw Azerbaijan make significant territorial gains in and around Karabakh.
In his speech, Erdoğan also said the reopening of transport links in the region will contribute to the welfare of all parties.
"Those who pursue a show of power in the region, despite their political and military level never equivalent to our country, are making a fool of themselves," he added.
Relations between the former Soviet republics of Armenia and Azerbaijan have been tense since 1991 when the Armenian military illegally occupied Karabakh, a territory internationally recognized as part of Azerbaijan, and seven adjacent regions.
Clashes erupted on Sept. 27, 2020, with the Armenian Army attacking civilians and Azerbaijani forces, violating several humanitarian cease-fire agreements.
During the 44-day conflict, Azerbaijan liberated several cities and around 300 settlements and villages that had been occupied by Armenia for almost 30 years.
The fighting ended with a Russian-brokered agreement on Nov. 10, 2020, which was seen as a victory for Azerbaijan and a defeat for Armenia.
However, the cease-fire has been broken several times since then.
In January 2021, the leaders of Russia, Azerbaijan and Armenia signed a pact to develop economic ties and infrastructure to benefit the entire region. It also included the establishment of a trilateral working group in Karabakh.
On the other hand, Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday said Moscow was worried about fresh fighting between ex-Soviet countries Armenia and Azerbaijan, calling on the historic foes to negotiate solutions to their territorial disputes.
"I want to underscore that any conflict scenarios between countries close to us cause us serious concern," the Russian leader said in televised remarks.
Putin's call comes after U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Monday urged peace between the arch foes as he brought together their top diplomats for the first time since the deadly border clashes.
The growing U.S. diplomatic engagement challenges Russia's role as the region's powerbroker, with frustration brewing in Yerevan over the lack of support from traditional ally Moscow, which is distracted by its war in Ukraine.
