OSCE envoys urge sides to de-escalate Armenia-Azerbaijan border crisis

PanARMENIAN.Net - The co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group have called on Armenia and Azerbaijan to take concrete steps to de-escalate growing tensions, amid a fresh wave of provocations from Azerbaijan.

The Security Council confirmed on Monday, November 15 that the units of the Azerbaijani Armed Forces with the support of armored vehicles entered the sovereign territory of Armenia and left after negotiations.

In a statement published on Monday, November 15, the co-chairs (Andrew Schofer of the U.S. Igor Khovaev of Russia, and Brice Roquefeuil of France) said they view with deep concern recent incidents in the region, including those along the Armenia-Azerbaijan border.

The mediators urged the sides to refrain from inflammatory rhetoric and provocative actions, and implement in full the commitments they undertook under the November 9 statement and other jointly agreed ceasefire arrangements.

"The recent increase in tension underscores the need for a negotiated, comprehensive, and sustainable settlement of all remaining issues related to or resulting from the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict," they said in the statement.

"The co-chairs urge the sides to build on the progress made during the joint meetings of the Foreign Ministers of Armenia and Azerbaijan held under the auspices of the Co-Chairs in New York and Paris, by continuing to engage in direct dialogue aimed at contributing to security, stability, and prosperity in the region."