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  • BAKU: EU High Rep very concerned over armed incidents on border

    Trend, Azerbaijan
    June 9 2012


    EU High Representative very concerned over armed incidents on
    Armenia-Azerbaijan border


    Azerbaijan, Baku, June 9 / Trend S. Dadashova/

    High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and
    Security Policy and Vice President of the Commission, Spokesperson
    Catherine Ashton issued a statement on serious armed incidents along
    the border of Armenia and Azerbaijan.
    In her statement, Ashton expressed concern at the reported serious
    armed incidents on 4, 5 and 6 June along the border between Armenia
    and Azerbaijan and the Line of Contact in the context of the
    Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and deep regret over the loss of human life,
    the statement on the European Union's website says.

    "The High Representative calls on both sides strictly to respect the
    ceasefire and exercise restraint on the ground and in public
    statements in order to prevent a further escalation of the situation,
    which has been deteriorating during the last several months," the
    statement says.

    According to the statement, threat or use of force as well as the
    status quo do not contribute to a resolution of the persisting
    conflict.

    These incidents highlight the importance of a functioning incident
    investigation mechanism as proposed by the OSCE. Moreover, they
    reinforce the need for progress in the negotiation process.

    "The High Representative urges Armenia and Azerbaijan, as partner
    countries, to step up their efforts to reach agreement on the Madrid
    principles, as a basis for peace, and to fully implement the
    commitments made by their Presidents in the framework of the OSCE
    Minsk Group. The EU reiterates its full support of the OSCE Minsk
    Group and the efforts of its co-chairs aimed at a peaceful conflict
    resolution," the statement says.

    Recently, the ceasefire has intensively been violated on the front
    line. At 06:30 on June 5 Armenian sabotage group's efforts to enter
    Azerbaijani Armed Forces' positions in Ashagi Eskipara village in the
    Gazakh region failed and it retreated by suffering losses. As a result
    of the fight, 5 soldiers of Azerbaijani Armed Forces were killed.
    The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988
    when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. Armenian
    armed forces have occupied 20 per cent of Azerbaijan since 1992,
    including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts.
    Azerbaijan and Armenia signed a ceasefire agreement in 1994. The
    co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group - Russia, France and the U.S. - are
    currently holding peace negotiations.
    Armenia has not yet implemented the U.N. Security Council's four
    resolutions on the liberation of the Nagorno-Karabakh and the
    surrounding regions.

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