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Azerbaijan Attacks Karabakh Positions,
Ignores OSCE Mediation
NKR Defense Army Restore Status-Quo
PRESS RELEASE
March 7, 2008
WASHINGTON, DC – On March 4, 2008 an Azerbaijani military unit attacked defense positions of Nagorno Karabakh, wounding two Karabakh officers and seizing two military posts near Levonarkh located in the northern part of the Line of Contact. After fruitless attempts to reinstate the status-quo through OSCE mediation, the NKR Defense Army launched a counter-offensive and restored its defense positions causing casualties to the adversary.
This blatant violation of the 1994 Ceasefire Agreement by Azerbaijan follows President Ilham Aliyev’s recent statement that his country had been buying military hardware, airplanes and ammunition and was prepared to attack Nagorno Karabakh again.
NKR Government informed the OSCE representative in the region about the Azeri attack and asked the Personal Representative of the OSCE Chairman-in-office to urge Baku to stop the offensive and retire to previous positions. However, Azerbaijan’s refusal to cooperate left no option for the NKR defense forces other than to respond in kind, reclaiming the two military posts after a brief but intensive firefight.
NKR Ministry of Foreign Affairs called for a crisis-monitoring of the area to fully investigate the incident. However, the mission, which was planned for today, had to be postponed due to Baku's refusal to ensure the security of the OSCE personnel.
NKR military intelligence points to increased concentration of Azerbaijani military hardware and personnel close to Levonarkh.
“We urge, once again, the Azeri leadership to refrain from attempts to violate the armistice and also warn that any intrusion by the Azeri military units will receive an adequate response of the NKR Defense Army,” said today’s statement of the NKR Foreign Ministry.
The OSCE Minsk Group Co-chairs issued a statement today (www.osce.org/item/30094.html), in which they called on the conflicting sides to restore confidence along the Line of Contact and desist from any further confrontations, escalation of violence or warmongering rhetoric.
“The Co-Chairs reiterate that there is no military solution to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. The outbreak of hostilities would destabilize the entire region, with calamitous consequences for all involved”, the statement said in part.
In the last several years Azerbaijan has used its vast oil revenues to build up its offensive capabilities aimed against Nagorno Karabakh, threatening the latter with another war. Azerbaijan’s destructive behavior jeopardizes OSCE mediation efforts and also goes against the U.S. goal of fostering peace and stability in the South Caucasus.
The Nagorno Karabakh Republic remains fully committed to the peaceful resolution of the conflict with Azerbaijan and also ready to resume full-fledged negotiations without any preconditions. NKR welcomes continued mediation efforts of the OSCE Minsk Group, co-chaired by the United States, Russia and France.
We also call on the United States and the international community to hold Azerbaijan accountable for the recent violation of the truce and to help prevent further escalation of tensions in the region.
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The Office of the Nagorno Karabakh Republic in the United States is based in Washington, DC and works with the U.S. government, academia and the public representing the official policies and interests of the Nagorno Karabakh Republic, Artsakh.
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This material is distributed by the Office of the Nagorno Karabakh Republic in the USA on behalf of the Government of the Nagorno Karabakh Republic. The NKR Office is registered with the U.S. Government under the Foreign Agent Registration Act. Additional information is available at the Department of Justice, Washington, D.C.
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