AZERBAIJAN ATTACKS KARABAKH POSITIONS – NKR DEFENSE ARMY RESTORE STATUS-QUO

NKR Representative to U.S.
March 10 2007

Washington, DC – Last week an Azerbaijani military unit attacked
defense positions of Nagorno Karabakh, wounding two Karabakh officers
and seizing two military posts near Levonarkh located in the northern
part of the Line of Contact. After fruitless attempts to reinstate
the status-quo through OSCE mediation, the NKR Defense Army launched a
counter-offensive and restored its defense positions causing casualties
to the adversary.

This blatant violation of the 1994 Ceasefire Agreement by Azerbaijan
follows President Ilham Aliyev’s recent statement that his country
had been buying military hardware, airplanes and ammunition and was
prepared to attack Nagorno Karabakh again.

NKR Government informed the OSCE representative in the region about
the Azeri attack and asked the Personal Representative of the OSCE
Chairman-in-office to urge Baku to stop the offensive and retire
to previous positions. However, Azerbaijan’s refusal to cooperate
left no option for the NKR defense forces other than to respond in
kind, reclaiming the two military posts after a brief but intensive
firefight.

NKR Ministry of Foreign Affairs called for a crisis-monitoring of
the area to fully investigate the incident. However, the mission,
which was planned for March 7, had to be postponed due to Baku’s
refusal to ensure the security of the OSCE personnel.

NKR military intelligence points to increased concentration of
Azerbaijani military hardware and personnel close to Levonarkh.

"We urge, once again, the Azeri leadership to refrain from attempts to
violate the armistice and also warn that any intrusion by the Azeri
military units will receive an adequate response of the NKR Defense
Army," said today’s statement of the NKR Foreign Ministry.

The OSCE Minsk Group Co-chairs issued a statement
(), in which they called on the
conflicting sides to restore confidence along the Line of Contact
and desist from any further confrontations, escalation of violence
or warmongering rhetoric.

"The Co-Chairs reiterate that there is no military solution to
the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. The outbreak of hostilities would
destabilize the entire region, with calamitous consequences for all
involved", the statement said in part.

In the last several years Azerbaijan has used its vast oil revenues to
build up its offensive capabilities aimed against Nagorno Karabakh,
threatening the latter with another war. Azerbaijan’s destructive
behavior jeopardizes OSCE mediation efforts and also goes against
the U.S. goal of fostering peace and stability in the South Caucasus.

The Nagorno Karabakh Republic remains fully committed to the peaceful
resolution of the conflict with Azerbaijan and also ready to resume
full-fledged negotiations without any preconditions. NKR welcomes
continued mediation efforts of the OSCE Minsk Group, co-chaired by
the United States, Russia and France.

We also call on the United States and the international community
to hold Azerbaijan accountable for the recent violation of the truce
and to help prevent further escalation of tensions in the region.

* * * The Office of the Nagorno Karabakh Republic in the United
States is based in Washington, DC and works with the U.S. government,
academia and the public representing the official policies and
interests of the Nagorno Karabakh Republic, Artsakh.