Davit Babayan: OSCE Minsk Group statement places all responsibility of ceasefire regime violation on Azerbaijan
АрменияThe September 27 statement of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs places all the responsibility of ceasefire regime violation on
Azerbaijan.
“I think this is a very important statement which shows that the Azerbaijani authorities are the ones who instigate tension on
the Armenia-Azerbaijan border and along the line of contact between Azerbaijan and Nagorno Karabakh. Azerbaijan must develop mechanisms referring ceasefire regime violations together with the OSCE Minsk Group CoChairs and maybe two Armenian Republics will also be integrated into the process,” Spokesperson of the President of Nagorno Karabakh Davit Babayan told the aforementioned to “Armenpress”.
He also noted that such policy of Azerbaijan has become part of its lifestyle that is typical of a fascist, totalitarian state.
In reply to the question by “Armenpress, whether the airstrikes at the protection area of one of the Nagorno Karabakh Defense Army
military units by Azerbaijan, could be considered as a beginning of largescale military operations, Davit Babayan answered:
“Even ideal aggressors conceal their real objectives. It is in the interests of Azerbaijan to lead a distance war though our Armed Forces make appropriate counterattacks causing great damages to Azerbaijan.”
The Co-Chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group (Ambassadors Igor Popov of the Russian Federation, James Warlick of the United States of America, and Pierre Andrieu of France), together with the Personal Representative of the OSCE Chairman-in-Office Ambassador Andrzej Kasprzyk, held a meeting on 24 September with the Foreign Minister of Armenia Edward Nalbandian, and a separate meeting on 25 September with the Foreign Minister of Azerbaijan Elmar Mammadyarov. They also met jointly with the two Foreign Ministers to discuss the immediate need to reduce tensions along the Line of Contact and international border, to advance negotiations on a lasting settlement, and to implement confidencebuilding measures. The Ministers agreed to continue preparations with the CoChairs on the next presidential summit, which is expected to be held before the end of this year.
The Co-Chairs called for the Presidents of Armenia and Azerbaijan to accept an OSCE mechanism to investigate ceasefire violations. Without such a mechanism, the sides will continue to blame each other for initiating deadly attacks on the Line of Contact and Armenia-Azerbaijan border. Armenia has agreed to discuss the details of the mechanism, and we urged Azerbaijan to do the same.
The Co-Chairs condemned in strong terms the use of artillery that caused additional casualties in the last twentyfour hours. They extended their deepest condolences to the families of the deceased. An escalation of violence is not in the interest of Azerbaijanis or Armenians, or a negotiated settlement.
The Co-Chairs encouraged the sides to implement peopletopeople programs to build trust between societies affected by the conflict