CSTO Blames Azerbaijan for Karabakh Escalation

MOSCOW — The Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) Press Secretary Vladimir Zaynetdinov has blamed Azerbaijan for escalating the situation in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict zone.

Reacting to the latest deadly fighting Zaynetdinov said “Everything must be decided through negotiations. The Azerbaijani side’s actions in this case are leading to the escalation of the situation and the conflict,” he said, as quoted by Russia’s Interfax news agency.

Zaynetdinov said the Armenian Defense Ministry is providing the CSTO leadership with “full information” about the heavy fighting along the line of contact in Nagorno-Karabakh, which has reportedly involved tanks, heavy artillery and aircraft.

“We believe that there can be no military solution to the Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict,” the official said.

Armenia is one of the six members of the CSTO.