“I realize the conflict has entered a new stage after the escalation recorded in April 2016. However, I don’t realize what happened on February 25 and which the primary reasons of the occurrence were. I consider, any of the parties to the conflict may have its motives for the escalation. I can’t understand how Azerbaijani soldiers died during recent developments.”
“The settlement of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict will contribute to the stability and prosperity of Azerbaijan and the region,” the Ambassador said at a conference in Washington DC dedicated to the establishment of diplomatic relations between Azerbaijan and US.
The NKR Defense Ministry announces the NKR side has never been the initiator of aggressive actions and is ready to deliver a destructive blow to any provocation of Azerbaijan.
“The information is just another manifestation of Azeri propaganda,” Hasratyan said.
Azerbaijani forces made over 100 ceasefire violations on March 1 and overnight March 2 in the Nagorno Karabakh (Artsakh/NKR) – Azerbaijan line of contact, firing over 1200 rounds and NKR positions from various caliber small arms and mortars, grenade launchers.
The Azerbaijani side continued violating the ceasefire regime along Artsakh-Azerbaijan contact line starting from 11:25, March 1, using 60 and 82 mm mortars and grenade launchers firing 10 projectiles in the direction of Armenian border guards.
“The negotiations over Nagorno Karabakh conflict going on with the Co-chairs are aimed at the exclusively peaceful settlement based on Artsakh’s self-determination in terms of recognition. Azerbaijan fails the negotiations.
From the positions of the Defense Army of the Republic of Artsakh (Nagorno Karabakh Republic), the monitoring was conducted by Personal Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office Ambassador Andrzej Kasprzyk and his Field Assistants Ghenadie Petrica (Moldova) and Khristo Khristov (Bulgaria).
Azerbaijani forces fired more than 1100 rounds at NKR positions from various caliber machine guns and artillery weapons. In the south-eastern direction (Martuni), in addition to firing D- 44 cannons, Azerbaijani forces also fired TR 107 rocket-artillery systems (5 rockets). Yesterday, Azerbaijan had used a SPIKE anti-tike missile in the same direction.
The latest incident on the contact line between Azerbaijani and Armenian troops once again underscores the urgent need for the parties to immediately resume negotiations on establishing lasting security and peace in the South Caucasus region, Richard Hoagland, the US Co-Chair of the OSCE Minsk Group, told Trend.
