AZERI FORCES INCUR "NUMEROUS" FATALITIES – ARMENIAN PM

Interfax News Agency
Russia & CIS
March 4, 2008
Russia

The Armenian army inflicted "numerous" fatalities on Azeri forces in
a clash on Tuesday, and territory seized by the Azeris on Tuesday
morning was returned to the Nagorno-Karabakh government, Armenian
Prime Minister and President-elect Serzh Sargsyan said.

"In the morning, the Azeri side attacked the Nagorno-Karabakh positions
and temporarily captured them," Sargsyan said at a ceremony at which
three Armenian coalition parties signed a joint statement.

"We have sent a proposal to the Azeri Defense Ministry via mediators
that the hostilities be stopped, but they have refused," the prime
minister said.

"By this hour, the positions have been returned to the Nagorno-
Karabakh side, and the enemy has retreated, leaving numerous dead
bodies on the battlefield," he said.

"There are negotiations in progress on the peaceful resolution of
the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict," Sargsyan said.

"I am sure that common sense will take the upper hand, and I rule
out the military resolution of the conflict," he said.