Artsakh Denounces Ceasefire Violation by Azerbaijan

STEPANAKERT (Armradio) — The Republic of Artsakh is ready to take all necessary measures of self-defense in accordance with international law, the Artsakh Defense Ministry said in a statement.

On April 5, 2020, the Azerbaijani side once again grossly violated the ceasefire regime on the Line of Contact between the armed forces of Artsakh and Azerbaijan, as a result of which a serviceman of the Defense Army of the Republic of Artsakh was wounded.

“It is worrying that this incident occurred amid the temporary suspension of monitoring of the ceasefire by the office of the Personal Representative of the OSCE Chairman-in-Office and in a situation when the whole world is struggling with a new type of coronavirus pandemic,” the Foreign Ministry said.

“Such provocations are an open disregard on the part of the Azerbaijani authorities of the call of the UN Secretary General Anthony Guterres for a ceasefire around the world to direct the efforts of all mankind to overcome the global challenge – the coronavirus, as well as ignoring the appeal of the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs to the parties to the conflict to strictly observe the ceasefire and refrain from any provocative actions that may increase the level of tension in a given period,” the statement reads.

According to the Foreign Ministry, “the destructive behavior of Baku has become another manifestation of the irresponsible and aggressive policies of the Azerbaijani authorities and deserves the most rigorous assessment and condemnation from the international community.”

“Reaffirming its obligations to comply with the agreements on maintaining and strengthening the ceasefire, as well as the Secretary-General’s appeal for global armistice, the Republic of Artsakh urges Azerbaijan to fulfill its obligations and abandon provocative actions,” the Ministry said.

“At the same time, the Republic of Artsakh is ready to take all necessary measures of self-defense in accordance with international law and, in particular, the provisions of the UN Charter,” it concluded.