Armenia and Azerbaijan Blame Each Other for Protracted War

MOSCOW թ§Չ‚-Չ€ A day after the presidents of the United States, Russia and France issued a joint statement calling for a peaceful settlement to the more than 20-year war between Armenia and Azerbaijan over the disputed territory of Nagorno-Karabakh, the two enemies publicly blamed each other Tuesday for failing to resolve the conflict

The mutual finger-pointing underscored the seeming intractability of the war in the South Caucasus, and immediately raised doubts that anything would come of the renewed international pressure.

Clashes along the Azerbaijan-Armenia border have intensified in recent weeks, with soldiers killed on both sides. The fighting, in violation of cease-fire agreements, has stirred fears of wider bloodshed and drawn international condemnation.

The statement issued Monday by President Obama, Vladimir V. Putin of Russia and FranթƒԹ«ois Hollande of France at the Group of 20 meeting in Mexico faulted the leaders of Armenia and Azerbaijan for not following steps toward an agreement urged last year. The statement called on them to move swiftly to make թ§Չ‚-ժ“the important decisions necessary to reach a lasting and peaceful settlement.թ§Չ‚-Թ

The United States, Russia and France jointly lead the Minsk Group, which was created in 1992 by the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe to help settle the Nagorno-Karabakh dispute.

թ§Չ‚-ժ“Military force will not resolve the conflict and would only prolong the suffering and hardships endured by the peoples of the region for too long,թ§Չ‚-Թ the presidents said. թ§Չ‚-ժ“Only a peaceful, negotiated settlement can allow the entire region to move beyond the status quo toward a secure and prosperous future.թ§Չ‚-Թ

Armeniaթ§Չ‚-Չ„§s foreign minister, Edward Nalbandian, said on Tuesday that his country was prepared to negotiate a settlement along terms outlined by the Minsk Group, and he accused Azerbaijan of refusing to do so.

թ§Չ‚-ժ“Unlike Armenia, Azerbaijan has rejected and continuesթ‚Թ to reject the co-chair countriesթ§Չ‚-Չ„§ proposals to consolidate the cease-fire, to withdraw snipers from the line of contact, to create a mechanism onթ‚Թ investigating cease-fire violations and incidents,թ§Չ‚-Թ Mr. Nalbandian said. թ§Չ‚-ժ“Armenia, unlike Azerbaijan, has on numerous occasions reiterated that it is ready to continue the negotiations.թ§Չ‚-Թ

Meanwhile, a spokesman for the Azerbaijan Foreign Ministry, Elman T. Abdullayev, said that Azerbaijan had long been willing to sign a comprehensive peace agreement and accept proposals by the Minsk Group, but that Armenia was preventing a truce by refusing to first withdraw its troops from Nagorno-Karabakh.

թ§Չ‚-ժ“We have shown a very clear and concrete will on Azerbaijanթ§Չ‚-Չ„§s side to start the peace process,թ§Չ‚-Թ Mr. Abdullayev said in a telephone interview. թ§Չ‚-ժ“Armenian occupying forces must leave so we can move forward in the peace process. Thatթ§Չ‚-Չ„§s the major and No. 1 obstacle.թ§Չ‚-Թ

In Mexico, the unity on addressing the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict provided a glimmer of consensus between Mr. Obama and Mr. Putin, whoseթ‚Թ face-to-face meetingթ‚Թ on Monday was largely characterized by their disagreement over how to handle the conflict in Syria.

The Nagorno-Karabakh dispute, however, has confounded negotiators for more than two decades. The statement in Mexico followed an earlier meeting on Monday in Paris among ambassadors from the United States, Russia and France and the foreign ministers of Armenia and Azerbaijan. The meeting seemed to yield little progress.

In a statement, the three ambassadors said they had discussed the recent fighting on the front lines as well as the creation of a mechanism to monitor cease-fire violations and ways to preserve sites of historic and cultural value. Officials from the Minsk Group said they planned to travel to the region to follow up.