Ceasefire Precondition for Karabakh Talks

PanARMENIAN.Net - The ceasefire at the contact line of the Nagorno Karabakh and Azeri armed forces is generally preserved. However from time to time tension increases, Personal Representative of the OSCE Chairman-in-Office Andrzej Kasprzyk stated. In his words, everyone should remember that each party to conflict wished to maintain the ceasefire. "The ceasefire is also a precondition for the delicate talks on the Nagorno Karabakh conflict settlement," he remarked.



He also noted that a casualty or fire that lasts over 20 minutes is considered to be a ceasefire violation. "We expect the parties to show maximal restraint at the frontline. If serious incidents are fixed we expect the parties to use the safety communications. Much depends on the commanders, since they observe discipline in the military units,' Kasprzyk emphasized.



In his opinion, the monitoring factor has a stabilizing effect and alleviates tension. "There were cases when a party requested for a monitoring of a certain sector to stabilize the situation. Monitoring is also a warning both the conflicting parties and the OSCE Minsk Group, since there is a risk of escalation," Andrzej Kasprzyk said, reported Trend.