14:01, 1 April, 2022

YEREVAN, APRIL 1, ARMENPRESS. Assuming the presidency of the OSCE by Poland coincided with the serious security crisis in the European region – the ongoing military operations in Ukraine, Foreign Minister of Armenia Ararat Mirzoyan said during a joint press conference with OSCE Chairman-in-Office, Poland’s Minister for Foreign Affairs Zbigniew Rau in Yerevan.

“It’s understandable that it takes most of the attention of the OSCE, but we expect that the issue of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict will remain in the OSCE agenda. This is important especially these days when Azerbaijan is using the geopolitical developments to continue its policy of ethnic cleansing in Nagorno Karabakh. The vivid evidence of this is the March 24 incursion of Azerbaijan into the village of Parukh, located in the responsibility zone of the Russian peacekeeping contingent in Nagorno Karabakh. This incursion and provocation of military operations were preceded by regular shots in the direction of Armenian settlements and civilian infrastructure. Azerbaijan disrupted the operation of the main gas pipeline of Nagorno Karabakh and the gas supply in the strong weather conditions”, the FM said.

Foreign Minister Mirzoyan said this incursion is a pre-planned aggression by Azerbaijan, which openly ignores the commitments assumed by the 2020 November 9 trilateral statement. According to him, in such situation the clear response by the OSCE Chairmen-in-Office and the international community is an imperative, and the unhindered engagement of international humanitarian organizations in Nagorno Karabakh is urgent for preventing the humanitarian crisis.

“We praise the fact that the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chair countries have already given a clear assessment to the latest escalation of the situation in Nagorno Karabakh, stating that it is a consequence of the movement of Azerbaijani troops”, Ararat Mirzoyan said.