ANDRZEJ KASPRZYK STRONGLY CONCERNED WITH THE GROWING NUMBER OF CEASE-FIRE VIOLATIONS

ArmInfo
2009-04-01 09:57:00

ArmInfo. After the March 31 monitoring on the contact line
Armenian and Azeri armed forces, Personal Representative of the
OSCE Chairman-in-Office, Ambassador Andrzej Kasprzyk said that he is
strongly concerned with the growing number of cease-fire violations
on the border between Armenia and Azerbaijan. Moreover, it affects the
peaceful population, he added. To recall, the monitoring was preceded
by a meeting in the administration of Tavush region of Armenia where
the data on the cease- fire violations by Azerbaijan were presented.

Asked about the reasons of the growth in cease-fire violations, the
ambassador pointed out that there are various reasons but failed to
specify them. According to him, the situation on the contact line of
Nagorno- Karabakh and Azerbaijani armed forces in 2009 is approximately
the same as in 2008.

Commenting on the Azeri party’s refusal to hold a meeting between the
commanders of the section monitored, Kasprzyk pointed out that the
proposal was made on the spot and the Azeri party was not ready for
it. Nevertheless, the ambassador said such a meeting is needed and
expressed an intention to contribute to organization of this meeting.

To note, during the March 31 monitoring near the village of Berkaber
on the Ijevan- Ghazakh section of the contact line the commander of
the Azeri party tried to accuse the Armenian party of regular fire
attacks on peaceful population, and the Armenian commander suggested
that his Azeri counterpart shouldn’t speak over the radio set but
meet him personally and discuss all the issues of mutual interest.

However, the Azeri commander refused and said that such a decision
should be taken by the top leadership.