OSCE keeps insisting on Karabakh ceasefire during Novruz, Easter

PanARMENIAN.Net - Germany’s Special Representative for the OSCE Chairmanship Gernot Erler and the Minsk Group Co-chairs – Ambassadors Igor Popov of Russia, James Warlick of the United States, and Piee Andrieu of France – reiterated on Monday, March 21 their strong commitment to a negotiated settlement of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict.

“To achieve progress in the peace process, it is imperative for the sides to take all measures to avoid violence, particularly one that affects the civilian population living along the contact line and the Armenia-Azerbaijan border,” the OSCE statements said. “In this regard, we support the statement of the Personal Representative of the Chairperson-in-Office Ambassador Andrzej Kasprzyk, who called on the sides to strictly respect the ceasefire during the Novruz Bayram and Easter. We urge the sides to create all conditions for the people of the region to celebrate the holidays in peace.”

The Co-chairs, with the support of the German OSCE Chairmanship, will continue to work with the sides on elements of a lasting settlement, measures to reduce the risk of violence, and programs that promote people-to-people contacts, the statement went on to say.

Azerbaijani army kept the situation in the Karabakh conflict zone tense on March 19-20, despite previous agreement to refrain from destabilizing the situation on the contact line.

Azeri forces violated the truce in the reporting period, firing over 2400 shots from various caliber firearms, as well as 60- and 82-mm mortars.

Following the attack, Azerbaijan habitually rushed to accuse the Armenian side of increasing the tension.

The Nagorno Karabakh Ministry of Defense reiterated its commitment to strictly follow the agreements reached, at the same time ready to prevent any provocation by the rival, the Ministry said in a statement.