March 6, 2008 - 12:31 AMT
OSCE: any shake at border can damage Karabakh talks
OSCE Chairman-in-Office, Finnish Foreign Minister Ilkka Kanerva expressed serious concern about the violation of ceasefire in Nagorno Karabakh on March 4.
Mr Kanerva called on the parties to exercise maximum restraint and to observe the terms of the ceasefire. "At this critical juncture in the negotiations to find a peaceful solution to the Nagorno Karabakh conflict, any action leading to a destabilization of the contact line can only have a negative impact on the overall situation. I urge the conflict parties to avoid actions that could lead to further unnecessary loss of life," he said.
The Chairman-in-Office, recalling his trip to the region last week, added that in his talks with the leadership in both Azerbaijan and Armenia he had underlined the importance of maintaining stability in the region. "My Personal Representative, Ambassador Andrzej Kasprzyk, is in the region at the moment and has been in close contact with the parties," Mr Kanerva said, Azeri Press Agency reports.
On March 4, Azeri special forces attacked one of Armenian positions. The attack was rebuffed and status quo restored. Two Armenian officers were injured. The Azeri side lost 8 soldiers killed.