Welcoming Joint Statement on Humanitarian Ceasefire, Secretary-General Urges Armenia, Azerbaijan to Resume Talks towards Peaceful Resolution

The following statement was issued today by the Spokesman for UN Secretary‑General António Guterres:

The Secretary-General welcomes the joint statement issued today by the Governments of the United States, Armenia and Azerbaijan announcing that the humanitarian ceasefire agreed in Moscow on 10 October and reaffirmed in Paris on 17 October will take effect at 8 a.m. local time on Monday, 26 October.  He commends the facilitation efforts of the United States, with the support of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) Minsk Group Co‑Chairs.

The Secretary-General reiterates his appeal to the parties to fully implement their agreement without delay based on this understanding and to resume substantive negotiations without preconditions under the auspices of the OSCE Minsk Group Co‑Chairs.  He also calls on the parties to allow safe and unimpeded access to humanitarian workers and delivery of humanitarian assistance and services to civilians in and around the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict zone.

The Secretary-General expects the parties to abide by all their commitments and to work jointly together with the OSCE Minsk Group Co‑Chairs to make concrete steps towards a peaceful resolution of the Nagorno‑Karabakh conflict.