OSCE chief urges to ‘embrace a good chance for peace’ in UkraineApril 20, 2015 - 16:17 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - The OSCE chief said Monday, April 20, a truce was holding in a key village in eastern Ukraine and urged rival sides to "embrace a good chance for peace" in the war-torn region, AFP reports. "The news this morning is that our people, our monitors have brokered a truce in Shyrokyne, down near Mariupol," OSCE secretary general Lamberto Zannier said. "And this truce seems to be holding," he told AFP in an interview during a visit to Lithuania's capital Vilnius. The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe sent a monitoring mission to Ukraine in March 2014. Close to the strategic port of Mariupol, Shyrokyne has been the latest flashpoint in a year-long conflict that has left more than 6,000 people dead. Zannier said there were still challenges ahead to secure peace but added that "all in all the situation is better than it was few weeks back". "There is a good chance for peace at this moment and we need to invest as much as we can in this. But there is always a risk of relapse in the conflict," Zannier said. In February, leaders of France, Germany, Russia and Ukraine brokered the so-called Minsk II truce between pro-Russian rebels and Ukrainian government forces in the east of the former Soviet state. "Heavy weapons have been largely withdrawn" from the agreed truce line in the conflict zone, Zannier said, adding that the focus could shift on "withdrawing other categories of smaller weapons because they are still actively used in this violations of the ceasefire". He said the number of its observers in Ukraine would increase to "at least 600 by the beginning of the summer" from the current level below 500. Zannier was in Vilnius to attend an international conference focused on the role of women in international peace and security. Photo: AP Related links: Top stories Authorities said a total of 192 Azerbaijani troops were killed and 511 were wounded during Azerbaijan’s offensive. In 2023, the Azerbaijani government will increase the country’s defense budget by more than 1.1 billion manats ($650 million). The bill, published on Monday, is designed to "eliminate the shortcomings of an unreasonably broad interpretation of the key concept of "compatriot". The earthquake caused a temporary blackout, damaged many buildings and closed a number of rural roads. Partner news | Czech-Armenian military cooperation discussed in Yerevan A delegation led by the Director General for the Industrial Cooperation Division of the Ministry of Defence of the Czech Republic visited Armenia. U.S. welcomes efforts to define Armenia-Azerbaijan border The United States welcomes efforts to define the border between Armenia and Azerbaijan, says Vedant Patel. Biden honors resilience of Armenian people on April 24 U.S. President Joe Biden has issued a statement on the 109th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide. Ex-Karabakh leader moved to solitary confinement cell in Baku, his son says David Vardanyan is the son of former Karabakh leader Ruben Vardanyan who who is currently imprisoned in Azerbaijan. |