ArmInfo.Secretary General of the Council of Europe Marija Pejcinovic Buric and High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell made statements in connection with the escalation on the Armenian-Azerbaijani border.
Thus, the statement by Secretary General Marija Pejcinovic Buric reads as follows, "Reports of escalating armed hostilities around the Armenian- Azerbaijani border are very alarming. Disagreements between Council of Europe member States must be resolved peacefully through negotiations. Recent direct contacts between the highest authorities of both countries were promising and should be continued. When entering the Council of Europe, Armenia and Azerbaijan committed to resolve the conflict peacefully. That commitment must be respected. The Council of Europe is ready to assist in reconciliation efforts which contribute to achieving a peaceful settlement," she noted.
In turn, High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell stated that in recent hours, "serious fighting has taken place along the Armenian and Azerbaijani border during the last hours with reported loss of lives." "It is imperative that the hostilities stop and that there is a return to the negotiating table. All forces should return to positions held prior to this escalation and the ceasefire should be fully respected. President Michel is taking contact with the leaders of both countries and I am speaking with the respective Foreign Ministers today. The EU is committed to continuing to act as an honest broker between Armenia and Azerbaijan to help achieve the common goal of a South Caucasus that is secure, prosperous and at peace, for the benefit of all its people. The EU Special Representative Toivo Klaar will now travel to the two countries immediately to support the necessary de-escalation and to discuss next steps in the Brussels dialogue process between the Armenian and Azerbaijani leaders," he stressed.
On the night of September 13, the Armed Forces of the Republic of Azerbaijan began large-scale military operations on the border with Armenia using UAVs and large-caliber weapons. Armenia turned to Russia, the CSTO and the UN Security Council in connection with the aggression of Azerbaijan against the sovereign territory of Armenia. In connection with the current situation, the RA police switched to enhanced service. There are reports of dead and wounded on both sides. According to the RA Prime Minister, the Armenian side already has 49 dead. Moscow announced the achievement of a truce between the parties as of 09:00 in the morning. Meanwhile, the Armenian media report on ongoing hostilities. France announced its intention to appeal to the UN Security Council because of the situation on the Armenian-Azerbaijani border. Armenia initiated a special meeting of the OSCE Council.