Armenia hints at recognising Nagorno-Karabakh as tensions with Azerbaijan continue

YEREVAN: Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan on Wednesday hinted that his country may recognize the independence of Nagorno Karabakh, the disputed region between the central Asian country and Azerbaijan that is central to the ongoing military situation.

"Yes, the issue of recognising the independence of Nagorno-Karabakh is on our agenda. There is also the possibility of forming a military and political alliance with Karabakh," Pashinyan was quoted by Russian news agency TASS.

Armenian and Azerbaijani forces are engaged in the heaviest clashes in years over Karabakh, an ethnic Armenian province that broke away from Azerbaijan during the collapse of the Soviet Union in the 1990s.

The long-simmering conflict erupted on Sunday with the two sides trading heavy fire and blaming each other for the outbreak of violence.

Nearly 100 people are confirmed to have died in the most recent flare-up and both sides are claiming to have inflicted heavy losses on opposing forces.

Russia's mediation offer rejected 

Earlier today, Armenia rejected Russian offers to mediate peace talks with arch-rival Azerbaijan as fighting raged for a fourth day over the region of Nagorny Karabakh.

There has been increasing international pressure for a ceasefire as fears grow that the conflict could escalate into a devastating all-out war and draw in regional powers like Turkey and Russia.

Moscow, which has a military pact with Armenia but also good ties with Azerbaijan, has repeatedly called for an end to the fighting and offered to help with negotiations.

But Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said Wednesday that talks with Azerbaijan were not yet on the table.

"It isn't very appropriate to speak of a summit between Armenia, Azerbaijan and Russia at a time of intensive hostilities," Pashinyan told Russia's Interfax news agency.

"A suitable atmosphere and conditions are needed for negotiations."

He said that Yerevan "at this point" is not planning to ask for intervention in the conflict by a Russia-led military alliance, the Collective Security Treaty Organisation that comprises several former Soviet republics including Armenia.

There has been no let-up in the fighting since the weekend, with both sides reporting new clashes on Wednesday.