MONITORS BOGGED DOWN ON ARMENIAN-AZERBAIJANI CONTACT LINE

news.az
March 16 2010
Azerbaijan

OSCE monitors did not manage to complete observation of the line of
contact between Azerbaijani and Armenian troops today.

Under the mandate of the personal representative of the OSCE
chairman-in-office, the contact line south of the village of Tezekend
in Azerbaijan’s Agdam District was to be monitored on 16 March,
the Azerbaijani Defence Ministry’s press service said.

The ministry warned the OSCE representatives that the terrain was
difficult and boggy. Since the OSCE insisted on monitoring that
section of the contact line, the ministry gave permission, the press
service said.

Today the OSCE vehicles got stuck in a swamp in the area. The vehicles
were dragged out of the swamp with the help of local residents and
equipment.

Imre Palatinus and Jaslan Nurtazin, field assistants of the OSCE
chairman-in-office’s personal representative, were unable to complete
their monitoring as a result.

Field assistants Peter Key, Vladimir Chountulov and Antal Herdich
were to conduct the monitoring on the opposite side of the contact
line in territory recognized as Azerbaijani in international law.