Armenian President Criticizes Azerbaijan At UN Over Karabakh Dispute

Armenian President Serzh Sarkisian

Addressing the UN General Assembly, Armenian President Serzh Sarkisian has criticized Baku for preventing a resolution of the dispute over Azerbaijan's breakaway Nagorno-Karabakh region.

Tensions have recently flared up again in the de facto independent region, with fighting between Azerbaijani soldiers and pro-Armenian fighters from Karabakh.

In his September 24 speech, Sarkisian also thanked countries from around the world that have recognized the massacre of Armenians by Ottoman forces during World War I as genocide.

Armenia claims Ottoman troops systematically killed some 1.5 million Armenians and deported many more from their traditional homeland.

Turkey counters that atrocities were committed by both sides and that Armenians killed many Turks also.

Sarkisian also urged the international community to protect Armenians in war-torn Syria.