Azerbajani armed forces fire upon Armenian territories overnight

January 21, 2014 - 13:26 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net - The Azerbaijani armed forces fired fiercely upon the Armenian border territories overnight.

No one was killed or injured, Defense Ministry spokesman Artsrun Hovhannisyan told PanARMENIAN.Net

The Armenian side has already slammed the Azerbaijan’s provocative actions as attempt “to undermine the upcoming ministerial talks.”

As it was reported earlier, Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian is scheduled to meet his Azerbaijani counterpart Elmar Mammadyarov in Paris this week.

Azerbaijani servicemen attempted to penetrate into the NKR territory on the night of Jan 20, killing defense army sergeant Armen Hovhannisyan. The attacks, in the northeast and southeast directions of the contact line, were rebuffed, with losses inflicted on the Azeri side. Investigation is underway.

During a meeting Monday, Minister Nalbandian and Artsakh Foreign Minister Karen Mirzoyan blamed Azerbaijan for provocative and irresponsible policy.

“Violence and tensions along the Line of Contact undermine efforts to bring about a negotiated settlement. Regret today's death,” U.S. Co-chair of the OSCE Minsk Group said on his Twitter account.

Nalbandian confirms meeting with Mammadyarov in Paris

The conflict between Nagorno Karabakh and Azerbaijan

The conflict between Nagorno Karabakh and Azerbaijan broke out as result of the ethnic cleansing launched by the Azeri authorities in the final years of the Soviet Union. The Karabakh War was fought from 1991 (when the Nagorno Karabakh Republic was proclaimed) to 1994 (when a ceasefire was sealed by Armenia, NKR and Azerbaijan). Most of Nagorno Karabakh and a security zone consisting of 7 regions are now under control of NKR defense army. Armenia and Azerbaijan are holding peace talks mediated by the OSCE Minsk Group up till now.