Armenia urges UN to monitor human rights in Nagorno-Karabakh

Armenia on Sunday called for a deployment of a UN mission in Nagorno-Karabakh that will be tasked with the responsibility of monitoring human rights and ensuring the safety of ethnic Armenians in the region.

The call for the UN mission comes after Azerbaijan on Wednesday declared a ceasefire after taking full control of Karabakh, which forced Armenian fighters to surrender.

While Azerbaijan has said it is committed to protecting the rights of ethnic Armenians, fear of persecution is soaring high among the civilian population left behind in the breakaway region.

"The international community should undertake all the efforts for an immediate deployment of an interagency mission by the UN to Nagorno-Karabakh with the aim to monitor and assess the human rights, humanitarian and security situation on the ground," Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan said in a speech to the United Nations.

While speaking at the UN, Azerbaijan Foreign Minister said the government would continue with efforts towards "advancing post-conflict peace-building, reintegration, and peaceful coexistence."

The flare up in the region has prompted strong response from members of the UN Security Council who have condemned the military operation by Azerbaijan and urged for peace.

What is Russia's role in Nagorno-Karabakh?

Russia had been a traditional ally of Armenia but their relations have deteriorated recently. Armenia also held military exercises with the US this month, angering Moscow.

Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said on Sunday that his country's current foreign security systems "ineffective," a veiled criticism towards Russia.

"The systems of external security in which Armenia is involved are ineffective when it comes to the protection of our security and Armenia's national interests," Pashinyan said.

Russia had peacekeeping troops deployed in the region under a 2020 cease-fire agreement between Armenia and Azerbaijan, to prevent fresh violence from breaking out.

Moscow was also overlooking the disarmament of ethnic Armenian separatists.

The Azeri attack that has left some 200 people dead, has now sparked protests in Armenia against Russia, which had been tasked with ensuring the truce after the 2020 fighting.

Dismissing its role in the conflict, Russia has instead accused Western leadership of "pulling the strings" to undermine Moscow.  Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, also said, "Unfortunately, the leadership of Armenia from time to time adds fuel to the fire itself."