The call was first published on 30 September 2020 on the website of the Centre for Humanitarian Programmes, an Abkhazia-based rights organisation.

Today, fierce battles are once again taking place in the Karabakh conflict zone. We, the participants of peace initiatives in the South Caucasus want to express our support to our Armenian and Azerbaijani friends, colleagues, and anyone who persistently continues to seek ways towards peace — despite the difficult circumstances and the unfavourable political and geopolitical context — knowing what sort of a calamity war is for ordinary people.

We are extremely concerned about the growing scale of hostilities, and the civilian deaths which have followed. If the hostilities don’t immediately stop, the zone of instability will expand throughout the Caucasus and will bring another humanitarian crisis.

The existing instruments and mechanism for the settlement of the Karabakh conflict didn’t manage to prevent a military escalation. The ceasefire failed to be enforced, let alone an armistice to be brokered. Unfortunately, no sufficient efforts were made to objectively investigate border incidents, provocative decisions didn’t fall under scrutiny, and the international arsenal of means wasn’t used sufficiently to stimulate the conflicting parties to take steps towards peace.

Almost 30 years ago, the Soviet empire collapsed, causing bloody conflicts in the Caucasus. Today is different, though. We can’t let the inertia of violence to be passed to new generations along with hatred, destruction, and war. Today, the interdependence of people from different countries is increasingly being felt — whether it concerns a lack of electricity, clean water, climate change, or a pandemic. That’s why a crude, violent clarification of relations between conflicting parties is all the more dangerous and unacceptable.

New times require new approaches — maybe there are none that are quick and simple, but there are ones that are peaceful, humane, and long-term.

Realising the complexity and the gravity of the situation, we still hope that people of goodwill will be able to prevail over the inertia of war and find a way to a just and sustainable peace.

We call on all parties, including the international community, to take decisive measures to end the hostilities and begin a new stage of the negotiation process.

Aida Ladariya

Alan Tskhovrebov

Alkhas Tkhagushev

Ana Dziapshipa

Anaid Gogoryan

Anthony Forman

Anzhela Pataraya

Archil Gegeshidze

Arda Inal-Ipa

Asida Lomiya

Astamur Taniya

Azamat Bagateliya

Batal Kobakhiya

Bella Turtseva

Davit Jishkariani

Davit Pipia

Diana Kerselyan

Dieter Boden

Dina Alborova

Eka Pirtskhalava

Eliko Bendeliani

Elona Turava

Giorgi Kanashvili

Gunda Dzheniya

Ibragim Chkadua

Inal Khashig

Indira Agrba

Inna Barchan

Irakli Khvadagiani

Irina Kelekhsayeva

Irina Yanovskaya

Iulia Kharashvili

Ivane Abramashvili

Jana Javakhishvili

Jonathan Cohen

Juliette Scofield

Ketevan Aptarashvili

Lali Devidze

Lali Pertanava

Lana Parastayeva

Larisa Sotiyeva

Lasha Tughushi

Laura Beniya

Laurence Broers

Liana Kvarcheliya

Lina Kulumbegova

Lira Kozayeva

Lyudmila Sagariya

Madina Gartskiya

Maia Chemia

Maktina Dzhondzholiya

Manana Gurguliya

Margarita Akhvlediani

Marina Elbakidze

Marina Nagai

Marina Pagava

Marina Pochkhua

Mariyetta Topchyan

Maurizia Jenkins

Maya Shirokova

Medea Kakachia

Merab Tsindeliani

Mikheil Mirziashvili

Mira Sovakar

Naala Kartoziya

Nadezhda Benediktova

Narine Ginosyan

Natella Akaba

Natia Chankvetadze

Natia Nadiradze

Nelli Tabuyeva

Nina Tsikhistavi-Khutsishvili

Nino Kalandarishvili

Nukri Milorava

Oliphant Craig

Paata Zakareishvili

Paula Garb

Rachel Clogg

Rafael Darbinyan

Richard Jenkins

Rozita German

Rusiko Marshania

Said Gezerdava

Shota Shvelidze

Sophia Pugsley

Stefan Meister

Susan Allen

Tom de Waal

Tsiala Tskua

Tsira Meskhishvili

Tsiza Gumba

Ucha Nanuashvili

Walter Kaufman

Yelena Kobakhiya

Yelena Kuvichko

Yuliya Gumba

Zalina Gabayeva

Zurab Bendianishvili