Armenian NA factions call on OSCE MG to condemn Azerbaijani actions

All the factions of Armenia’s National Assembly have issued a joint statement. The political forces reached an agreement to make such a statement at a meeting with Armenian Defense Minister Seyran Ohanyan yesterday.

The joint statement of the parliamentary factions says in particular:

“The situation remains tense on the Armenian-Azerbaijani border and the Line of Contact between the armed forces of Karabakh and Azerbaijan. In recent days Azerbaijani troops made numerous attempts to infiltrate into Armenian positions and commit sabotage actions. They regularly fired at Armenian civilian settlements from guns of various calibers.

The military-political leadership of Azerbaijan is trying to take advantage of new geopolitical realities and ruin the opportunity of a peaceful settlement of the Karabakh problem by means of such risky attacks. The irresponsible conduct of Azerbaijani leadership contradicts the principle of the OSCE Minsk Group and the international community to resolve the conflict through peace talks.

Once again, the enemy was repelled, suffering casualties due to the forced retaliatory actions of the Armenian side. The servicemen on duty at the border proved that they will always give a fitting rebuff to Azerbaijan and prevent it from achieving military superiority. During these provocations the Armenian servicemen showed a high level of moral training and a determination to devote themselves to the Homeland’s defense.

We together with our people mourn the loss of the heroes and express our condolences to their families and friends. The goal of each of us is to keep the memory of these servicemen and their heroic deeds alive.

In this situation, while attaching great importance to the unity of Armenian society and the armed forces, the factions of Armenia’s National Assembly call on: э

• The co-chair countries of the OSCE Minsk Group to take efficient measures for the withdrawal of snipers from the frontier of Armenia, Nagorno Karabakh Republic, and Azerbaijan, the investigation of incidents, and prevention of statements and actions fomenting hatred between peoples.

• States and international organizations to give up general assessments, approaches equating the sides and condemn Azerbaijan’s offensive and provocative actions aimed at a military resolution of the problem. To stop selling large shipments of arms to Azerbaijan inclined to military adventurism since this contradicts the efforts towards a final peace.

We state at the same time that if Azerbaijani leadership continues destructive actions, then the responsibility for unforeseeable developments will rest with Baku. The Armenian people and Armenian servicemen proved and will prove that they are ready to ensure the security of Armenia and Nagorno Karabakh. The factions of Armenian National Assembly are solidly together in their support of the Armenian army and Armenian servicemen”.