On our way to Karabakh, we learned that an Azerbaijani military helicopter had been shot down on April 2nd. It is easier for print journalists – dry official information is enough to complete a newspaper page. For a photographer it is more complicated. One cannot take pictures from the comfort of a hotel. A photographer should be on the scene.
“Azerbaijan bluntly rejects all confidence building measures and is pursuing other goals. These goals were unambiguously revealed on the night of April 1-2. Ignoring more than twenty-year long efforts of the international community aimed at the establishment of peace, Azerbaijan launched large-scale military operations along the entire Karabakh-Azerbaijan line of contact,” Sargsyan said.
“I am deeply disturbed by and condemn this terrible new escalation in Azerbaijan’s aggression against Nagorno Karabakh in the form of a significant military assault,” said Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) in a statement on Saturday. “Until Azerbaijan faces strong and meaningful consequences over their policy of escalation and violence … there is little chance of resolving the conflict and avoiding further bloodshed.”
Press Conference of RA president Serzh Sargsyan and German Chancellor Angela Merkel.
“The most interesting is that all presidents of the South Caucasus, except Turkey, speak of the necessity of conflict settlement through diplomacy and policy, and only Turkey claims on supporting Azerbaijan in liberation of Azerbaijani lands,” Tsyganok said.
“And although they initially thought they’d fight against the background of domestic policy issues, and by that everything will end, and some weakening will be observed, this didn’t happen. Currently something inexplicable is going on, especially when there are actors who’d like to make use of the situation and reach considerable success. So that threat to further tension is becoming more realistic,” Felgenhauer anticipated.
After ceasing fire at 12:00, April 5, the adversary continued to violate the ceasefire in the directions of Martuni, Martakert and Talish. From 12:10 to 16:48 Azerbaijanis fired from large caliber mortars, grenade launchers and tanks in the mentioned directions.
President Putin expressed his deep concern over the military operations that claimed numerous lives. It was mentioned that Russia took and will continue to take necessary mediation steps aimed at the stabilization of the situation.
“The Co-Chairs announced that they will travel to the region shortly, together with Ambassador Kasprzyk. Ambassador Kasprzyk will also travel to the areas affected by the military escalation as soon as the situation permits,” the statement reads.
“We, the representatives of the OSCE Minsk Group countries (Russian Federation, the United States of America, France, Belarus, Finland, Germany, Italy, Sweden, Turkey), as well as the incoming Austrian OSCE Chair (2017) and the Serbian OSCE Chair (2015), strongly condemn the outbreak of unprecedented violence along the Line of Contact. We extend our condolences to all affected families. We urge the sides to cease using force immediately. There is no military solution to the conflict.”
