On April 2 and 3, just after the large-scale military actions unleashed by Azerbaijan against Artsakh, Edward Nalbandian, Foreign Minister of Armenia, had a number of phone conversations with his foreign counterparts, presenting the situation on the Line of Contact between Nagorno-Karabakh and Azerbaijan.
On the Northern border of Nagarno-Karabakh Armenian soldiers fire artillery shells
War is ugly, this is a given! Nevertheless, Hetq wishes to apologize to those readers who find the following photo,from the village of Talish in the northeastern Martakert District of Artsakh, disturbing.
It has been stated to Igor Nazaruk that such statement is incompatible to the spirit of the Armenia- Belarus relations and contradicts the commitments of the sides taken within the framework of the CSTO and other international structures, undermines the negotiation process while encouraging the use of force in the Nagorno-Karabakh settlement process.
The Artsakh ministry says that even after making its ceasefire declaration, Azerbaijan has shelled civilian population settlements in Artsakh (Nagorno Karabakh), especially the northern town of Martakert, with Grad rockets and 152mm canon fire.
Recalling that both Armenia and Azerbaijan committed themselves, when joining the Council of Europe in 2001, to use only peaceful means for settling their conflict over the Nagorno-Karabakh region, Mr Agramunt urged both governments to refrain from using violence and welcomed the news of a unilateral cease-fire reportedly announced by the Azeri authorities.
While France 24, BBC and Al Jazeera are reporting that Azerbaijan’s Ministry of Defense has announced a “unilateral ceasefire”, the news from Artsakh is that fighting continues nonetheless.
“Artsakh took the offensive, recapturing an important outpost seized by the Azerbaijanis yesterday. Artsakh continues its punitive operations,” Baghdasaryan reports.
Intense fighting along the Line of Contact in Artsakh spurred Hovig and Vrej Asmaryan, two brothers who immigrated from Aleppo to Artsakh five years ago with their families, to sign up as volunteers in the fight.
The ministry says Artsakh forces responded to widespread Azerbaijani shelling launched early this morning by taking counter measures and retook an important outpost in the Talish area previously captured by Azerbaijan.
The Artsakh Ministry of Defense reports that Azerbaijani continues its “aggressive military operations", using missiles and armored equipment, along the southern Line of Contact separating Artsakh and Azerbaijan.
The European Union deplores the loss of life, in particular the reports of civilian casualties and deaths.
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