Interfax News Agency, Russia
May 9 2008

Armenia denies violating ceasefire agreement with Azerbaijan

YEREVAN May 9

Yerevan has denied reports that Armenian armed forces had violated a
ceasefire agreement with Azerbaijan at the contact line with the Azeri
armed forces.

"Azerbaijan’s reports alleging the violation of the ceasefire
agreements at the contact line between the Armenian and Azeri armed
forces is another act of provocation and another lie on Azerbaijan’s
part," Armenian Defense Ministry spokesman Col. Seiran Shakhsuvarian
told Interfax on Friday.

Azeri media reported earlier citing the Azeri Defense Ministry that
"Armenian armed forces fired upon Azeri military positions at the
frontline simultaneously in several directions on May 8 and 9."

"The enemy was suppressed by return fire, and the Azeri side did not
suffer any losses," the reports said.

Shakhsuvarian recalled that Armenian Defense Minister Seiran Oganian
had officially declared on May 4 that the Armenian armed forces had
been instructed not to respond to sporadic fire from Azerbaijan.