UN warns Karabakh parties against military action

PanARMENIAN.Net - Stéphane Dujarric, Spokesman for the UN Secretary-General has urged the parties to the Nagorno Karabakh conflict to refrain from any military action.

Azerbaijan on Tuesday violated the ceasefire on the contact line with Nagorno Karabakh (Artsakh), using various caliber mortars and even employed a TR-107 rocket engine in the south of the frontline. Artsakh Defense Army opened retaliatory fire to suppress the rival’s attacks. During the incident, two civilians - a 52-year-old woman and a 2-year-old girl from Azerbaijan - were killed.

"I was asked offline about our reaction to the ongoing tensions in Nagorno Karabakh. I can tell you that, as the Secretary-General underlined on June 22, we are increasingly concerned over the deteriorating security environment, including the most recent cease-fire violations along the line of contact and in the broader Nagorno Karabakh conflict zone," Dujarric tols a daily press briefing on Thursday, July 6.

"We took note of and echo the Co-Chairs’ recent statement with reference to the renewed violence on July 4 at Alkhanli village of Fizuli region, which resulted in casualties, including among civilians. We call upon the sides to refrain from any military action, and strongly urge them to take immediate steps to de-escalate tensions and prevent further violence. An early return to the negotiations table in good faith is the only way to resolve this long-standing and dangerous conflict."

The Minsk Group reiterated in a second statement their extreme concern over the ceasefire violations that occurred on Tuesday, July 4, calling on the parties to resume negotiations..

On Thursday, the U.S. State Department too called on the sides the sides to cease military action and return to the negotiating table