4 August 2014 – United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today voiced his opposition to the renewed fighting over the Nagorno-Karabakh region in the South Caucasus, urging the Armenian and Azerbaijani sides to respect a ceasefire agreement.

Ban’s spokesperson issued the following statement:

The Secretary-General shares the deep concern expressed by the Co-Chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group and other international partners regarding the upsurge in tension and violence along the Line of Contact and the Armenian-Azerbaijani border.  This has resulted in numerous casualties in recent days. He urges all parties to respect the ceasefire agreement, refrain from further violence and commit themselves to immediate de-escalation and continuing dialogue in the pursuit of a rapid and peaceful political solution.

The Secretary-General expresses his full support for the efforts of the OSCE Minsk Group and all parties working to resolve this dangerous situation and pursue a peaceful settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.