Aravot, Armenia
Sept 4 2017




‘When Minsk Group stops making toothless and untargeted announcements,
they will stop shooting’: Artak Zakaryan

First Deputy Minister of Defence of the Republic of Armenia, Artak
Zakaryan spoke about the fire attacks by the Azerbaijani side during
the OSCE Monitoring Mission. Asked whether he expected any response,
Artak Zakaryan replied: “Our political response has not been late.”

Kasprzyk had informed they were unable to understand which side was
firing, that is, does he put the version of our  Ministry of Defence
implying that the fire was from the Azerbaijani side? Artak Zakaryan
replied: “No, it is not put under question, the direction is clear, it
has been from the opposite side, but towards what and where from.I do
not know why they make a non-targeted announcement, this question
should be given to Kasprzyk already. For us it is a fact that
Azerbaijan can open fire even on the OSCE Monitoring Mission.”

To the overview, implying that they do not directly state within their
announcement that the fire was opened by the Azerbaijani side, Artak
Zakaryan responded: “The fact remains that we proceed from facts.”

Asked whether he is satisfied with the assessment of the Monitoring
Mission to the incident, Mr. Zakaryan replied: “The Ministry of
Defence is concerned with the circumstance that they open fire on the
borders of the Republic of Armenia, including the Monitoring Mission.
I am simultaneously concerned with the fact that they shoot at our
kindergartens and the ones conducting the Monitoring Mission. Let the
international public evaluate already, it will be very desirable that
the OSCE Minsk Group stops doing toothless and non-targeted
announcements, after that they will stop shooting.”



Hripsime JEBEJYAN