Friday, July 7 2017 13:22

ArmInfo.The co-chairs of OSCE Minsk Group did not circulate a new statement in  connection with the incident that took place on July 4 of the current  year at the contact line of Karabakh-Azerbaijani troops, according to  the press service of OSCE in Vienna, answering the question why there  is no official statement of the intermediaries on the Organization's  website.  

OSCE stressed that a closed meeting of intermediaries took  place yesterday. "The agenda of yesterday's meeting was closed.  Information was not published", OSCE press service informed. 

In his turn, Armenian MFA press secretary Tigran Balayan, referring  to the current situation, stated to ArmInfo's correspondent that OSCE  MG co-chairs registered that Azerbaijan did a provocation violating  the provisions of the Geneva Convention.   Earilier, Azerbaijani media spread information that the co-chairs of  OSCE Minsk Group spread a new statement on events on 4 July at   Karabakh conflict zone  and submitted the text of the statement. The  information disseminated by the Azerbaijani media, in particular,  said that "in the statement voiced by the French representative on  behalf of the Minsk Group at the meeting of OSCE Permanent Council,  serious concern was expressed about the violation of the ceasefire on  July 4." "We regard this serious incident as a provocative step that  could violate peace efforts and forthcoming negotiations, and remind  the parties of the obligations under the Geneva Conventions, in  particular, on the non-use of violent actions fraught with losses  among the civilian population." We call on the parties to take  serious measures to eliminate tensions and  serious observance of the  armistice agreements of 1994-95, Russian Federation, France and the  United States note the importance of the speedy resumption of  negotiations on a peaceful settlement of the conflict.  It is the  only path to peace, and a real blossoming of reconciliation  throughout the region "- quoted by Azerbaijani media intermediaries.

Meanwhile, OSCE official website has no information about new  statement of OSCE MG co-chairs.  To note, on July 4, the Azerbaijani  Armed Forces continuously shelled Karabakh positions from 60 and 82  mm mortars throughout the day, in addition, they used Turkish missile  systems TR-107. The Armed Forces of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic  took counter-action, as a result of which two Azerbaijani civilians  were killed, another one was injured.  This is due to the fact that  the enemy's firing point was located in  the immediate vicinity of  the settlement. The OSCE Minsk Group  co-chairs issued a statement  urging the sides to stop fighting and  return to the negotiating  table.