International news is marked by the clash between Armenia and Azerbaijan over Nagorno-Karabakh. The two countries meet on Thursday before the International Court of Justice (ICJ) for a crucial hearing. Armenia is asking the court to force Azerbaijan to withdraw its troops from the region and allow the safe return of displaced Armenians.
This hearing comes a few weeks after the rapid offensive by Azerbaijani forces in Nagorno-Karabakh. Following this offensive, almost the entire Armenian population fled the separatist region, which announced its dissolution on January 1, 2024.
Armenia hopes that the International Court of Justice will order Azerbaijan to withdraw its troops from occupied civilian settlements and allow the return of displaced people. She also asks that Azerbaijan facilitate the departure of people who wish to do so.
This territorial conflict dates back to the fall of the Soviet Union, when Nagorno-Karabakh, populated mainly by Armenians, proclaimed its independence from Azerbaijan. Since then, the two countries have clashed several times, including in wars in 1988-1994 and in 2020. The international community has never recognized the self-proclaimed Republic of Nagorno-Karabakh.
This hearing before the ICJ comes on top of a long legal battle between the two countries. In January, Armenia accused Azerbaijan of carrying out ethnic cleansing in Nagorno-Karabakh, which Baku denied. In February, the ICJ ordered Azerbaijan to ensure free movement on the Lachin corridor, a vital route for supplying the population of Nagorno-Karabakh.
It is important to emphasize that the decisions of the International Court of Justice are not binding and that it does not have the means to enforce them. Nevertheless, this hearing constitutes an important step in the resolution of this conflict which has already caused numerous victims and displaced persons.
The outcome of this hearing before the ICJ is therefore eagerly awaited and could have significant repercussions on the Nagorno-Karabakh case and relations between Armenia and Azerbaijan. The future of this landlocked region in the Caucasus is uncertain, but it is essential to continue diplomatic efforts to achieve a peaceful and lasting solution.