World Council of Churches, Conference of European Churches jointly appeal for cessation of hostilities between Azerbaijani and Armenian forces

On 13 September, fighting erupted between Armenia and Azerbaijan, the latest flare-up in their decades-long armed standoff over the disputed region of Nagorno-Karabakh in the South Caucasus.

“Just a few days ago, the World Council of Churches 11th Assembly raised concerns about the unresolved situation following the 2020 Nagorno-Karabakh war, and called inter alia for meaningful dialogue for a just and peaceful settlement of this conflict in the framework of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe Minsk Group,” reads the joint message. “Today, renewed hostilities between Azerbaijani and Armenian forces have resulted in dozens of deaths, and raised renewed fears of even more serious escalation.”

“We urge the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe Minsk Group and all members of the international community to encourage, support, and facilitate meaningful dialogue for a just and sustainable peace in the region,” reads the joint message.

The clashes on 13 September were the worst escalation of hostilities between the two countries since a 2020 war over Nagorno-Karabakh.