Agreement on a Universal Ceasefire for a Period of 3 Days

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Country/entity: Armenia
Azerbaijan
Nagorno-Karabakh
Region: Europe and Eurasia
Agreement name: Agreement on a Universal Ceasefire for a Period of 3 Days
Date: 25 Jul 1993
Agreement status: Unilateral document
Interim arrangement: Yes
Agreement/conflict level: Intrastate/intrastate conflict
Nagorno-Karabakh Conflict (1991 - )
The territory of Nagorno-Karabakh has been a long-standing object of dispute between Armenia and Azerbaijan. During the existence of USSR, the territory was assigned to Azerbaijan, starting in 1921. After decades of disagreements over the status of Nagorno-Karabakh, and in the wake of Gorbachev’s policies of political openness, the protests by Armenians in the region escalated into violent conflict in 1990, exacerbated by the central government’s inability to control the republics as the USSR itself was on the verge of collapse. The Autonomous Region (Oblast) of Nagorno-Karabakh (NKAO) proclaimed independence from Azerbaijan in 1991, after the Parliament of the Azerbaijan Soviet Socialist Republic voted to abolish the Oblast. The territory itself is populated by ethnic Armenians, but surrounded by territories with an Azeri majority. The territory proclaimed independence, with the support of Armenia, and incorporating the areas that surround it, but has never gained international recognition and remains a de jure part of Azerbaijan. The violence intensified , leading to an estimated overall death toll of 30 000 After several attempts at mediation, the opposing sides agreed to a ceasefire in May 1994, but the situation has not been resolved to date and the violence had briefly resumed in the spring of 2016. The initial ceasefire in 1994 was the outcome of the so-called “Minsk process”, overseen by OSCE, with the participation of Russia, France, and the US.
Stage: Ceasefire/related
Conflict nature: Government/territory
Peace process: Armenia-Azerbaijan-Nagorno Karabakh: Process 1990s
Parties: To Mr S Babayan, Ministry of defence of Nagorno-Karabakh

Acting Minister of Defence of the Azerbaijan Republic:S Abiyev
Third parties: -
Description: A 3 day ceasefire agreement arranged by reciprocal exchange of identical letters. Only the text of the Azerbaijan letter has been made publicly available and is coded here.

Agreement document: AZ_930725_3daycessation.pdf (opens in new tab) | Download PDF

Groups

Children/youth: No specific mention.
Disabled persons: No specific mention.
Elderly/age: No specific mention.
Migrant workers: No specific mention.
Racial/ethnic/national group: No specific mention.
Religious groups: No specific mention.
Indigenous people: No specific mention.
Other groups: No specific mention.
Refugees/displaced persons: No specific mention.
Social class: No specific mention.

Gender

Women, girls and gender: No specific mention.
Men and boys: No specific mention.
LGBTI: No specific mention.
Family: No specific mention.

State definition

Nature of state (general): No specific mention.
State configuration: No specific mention.
Self determination: No specific mention.
Referendum: No specific mention.
State symbols: No specific mention.
Independence/secession: No specific mention.
Accession/unification: No specific mention.
Border delimitation: No specific mention.
Cross-border provision: No specific mention.

Governance

Political institutions (new or reformed): No specific mention.
Elections: No specific mention.
Electoral commission: No specific mention.
Political parties reform: No specific mention.
Civil society: No specific mention.
Traditional/religious leaders: No specific mention.
Public administration: No specific mention.
Constitution: No specific mention.

Power sharing

Political power sharing: No specific mention.
Territorial power sharing: No specific mention.
Economic power sharing: No specific mention.
Military power sharing: No specific mention.

Human rights and equality

Human rights/RoL general: No specific mention.
Bill of rights/similar: No specific mention.
Treaty incorporation: No specific mention.
Civil and political rights: No specific mention.
Socio-economic rights: No specific mention.

Rights related issues

Citizenship: No specific mention.
Democracy: No specific mention.
Detention procedures: No specific mention.
Media and communication: No specific mention.
Mobility/access: No specific mention.
Protection measures: No specific mention.
Other: No specific mention.

Rights institutions

NHRI: No specific mention.
Regional or international human rights institutions: No specific mention.

Justice sector reform

Criminal justice and emergency law: No specific mention.
State of emergency provisions: No specific mention.
Judiciary and courts: No specific mention.
Prisons and detention: No specific mention.
Traditional Laws: No specific mention.

Socio-economic reconstruction

Development or socio-economic reconstruction: No specific mention.
National economic plan: No specific mention.
Natural resources: No specific mention.
International funds: No specific mention.
Business: No specific mention.
Taxation: No specific mention.
Banks: No specific mention.

Land, property and environment

Land reform/rights: No specific mention.
Pastoralist/nomadism rights: No specific mention.
Cultural heritage: No specific mention.
Environment: No specific mention.
Water or riparian rights or access: No specific mention.

Security sector

Security Guarantees: No specific mention.
Ceasefire: Security sector→Ceasefire→Ceasefire provision
[Summary: The entire agreement provides for a 3 day temporary ceasefire commencing at 00:00 on 25/07/1993].

Page 1: In case of reciprocal commitment from both parties, we commit for 3 days, during which time an agreement will be made about a meeting between the authorities of Azerbaijan and Nagorno-Karabakh, to cease any offensive operations, including rocket and artillery launches as well as air bombardments. The agreement will come into force beginning at 00:00 hours on 25 July 1993, upon receiving the above mentioned commitments by the parties. Upon agreeing on a meeting, the ceasefire will automatically be prolonged until 24:00 hours of the day of the meeting, unless another time period is agreed at the meeting.
Police: No specific mention.
Armed forces: No specific mention.
DDR: No specific mention.
Intelligence services: No specific mention.
Parastatal/rebel and opposition group forces: No specific mention.
Withdrawal of foreign forces: No specific mention.
Corruption: No specific mention.
Crime/organised crime: No specific mention.
Drugs: No specific mention.
Terrorism: No specific mention.

Transitional justice

Transitional justice general: No specific mention.
Amnesty/pardon: No specific mention.
Courts: No specific mention.
Mechanism: No specific mention.
Prisoner release: No specific mention.
Vetting: No specific mention.
Victims: No specific mention.
Missing persons: No specific mention.
Reparations: No specific mention.
Reconciliation: No specific mention.

Implementation

UN signatory: No specific mention.
Other international signatory: No specific mention.
Referendum for agreement: No specific mention.
International mission/force/similar: No specific mention.
Enforcement mechanism: No specific mention.
Related cases: No specific mention.
Source: Kazimirov, VN. (2014) Peace to Karabakh: Russia’s Mediation in the Settlement of the
Nagorno-Karabakh Conflict. Moscow: VES MIR

Ministry of defence of Nagorno-Karabakh

To Mr S Babayan

In case of reciprocal commitment from both parties, we commit for 3 days, during which time an agreement will be made about a meeting between the authorities of Azerbaijan and Nagorno-Karabakh, to cease any offensive operations, including rocket and artillery launches as well as air bombardments.

The agreement will come into force beginning at 00:00 hours on 25 July 1993, upon receiving the above mentioned commitments by the parties.

Upon agreeing on a meeting, the ceasefire will automatically be prolonged until 24:00 hours of the day of the meeting, unless another time period is agreed at the meeting.

Acting Minister of Defence of the Azerbaijan Republic.

S Abiyev