OSCE condemns escalation on Armenian-Azerbaijani front

/By AzerNews/

By Sara Rajabova

The Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe has condemned the recent escalation of tension on the contact line of Armenian-Azerbaijani troops.

OSCE chairperson-in-office, Serbia's Foreign Minister Ivica Dacic voiced concern over this issue during his meeting with the Minsk Group co-chairs who have been tasked to mediate for peaceful resolution of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

Dacic met the Co-Chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group Igor Popov of the Russian Federation, James Warlick of the U.S., and Pierre Andrieu of France, and Personal Representative of the OSCE Chairman-in-Office Andrzej Kasprzyk, in New York, OSCE reported on September 29.

The ambassadors informed Dacic about the latest surge in violence and the talks they have held with Azerbaijani and Armenian officials.

Azerbaijani and Armenian foreign ministers held a meeting with participation of the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs on September 25 within the framework the 70th session of the UN General Assembly.

Dacic strongly condemned the recent escalation, offering his condolences to the families of the victims, and urging all to show maximum restraint and work towards de-escalation.

The situation on the frontline remained tense during past several days as the Armenian military continues to break the ceasefire using large-caliber machine guns. Frequent shelling by the Armenian military has put the life of the residents of Azerbaijan’s frontline settlements in danger causing casualties.

Azerbaijani civilian Bahram Baghirov was killed in the shelling of villages of Azerbaijan’s Aghdam region by Armenian military on the night of September 26. Moreover, four Azerbaijani servicemen were killed during the heavy battles past several days.

Azerbaijani Army annihilated over 10 Armenian servicemen and over 16 got injured as a result of the adequate measures, Azerbaijan’s defense ministry said.

Dacic expressed his full support to the work of the OSCE Minsk Group, and reiterated their call for advancing negotiations on a lasting settlement for the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, as well as for implementing confidence-building measures.

The Nagorno-Karabakh conflict emerged in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. Since a lengthy war in the early 1990s that displaced over one million Azerbaijanis, Armenian armed forces have occupied over 20 percent of Azerbaijan's internationally recognized territory, including Nagorno-Karabakh and seven adjacent regions.

Peace talks mediated by Russia, France and the U.S. have produced no results so far.

Armenia continues the occupation in defiance of four UN Security Council resolutions calling for immediate and unconditional withdrawal.