Azerbaijan Continues to Violate Ceasefire Agreement

YEREVAN — Armenia again accused Azerbaijan of failing to respect a Russian-mediated ceasefire agreement as heavy fighting in around Nagorno-Karabakh continued on Friday.

 The Armenian Defense Ministry reported in the morning fresh Azerbaijani offensive military operations along the Karabakh “line of contact.” A ministry spokesman said Azerbaijani forces are carrying out “large-scale attacks” at northern sections of the frontline.

Artsakh Defense Army said its frontline troops “took appropriate measures to repel the enemy offensive and reinforce the stability of defense lines.”

The RA Ministry of Defense reconfirmed that the RA Armed Forces and the Artsakh Defense Army divisions are ready to observe the conditions outlined for the humanitarian ceasefire agreement signed in Moscow on October 10 as well as to implement the agreed measures for the monitoring of that ceasefire.

In this regard, the Ministry urged the international community, particularly the co-Chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group, to use their statements and appeals to directly address the party to this conflict which is trying to avoid the ceasefire and the establishment of its verification measures.

Azeri offensive repelled troops destroyed

Armenian Foreign Minister Zohrab Mnatsakanian charged that Baku is thus effectively walking away from that agreement welcomed by the international community.

“Although it is obvious that Turkey is behind these decisions and actions by Azerbaijan, it is Azerbaijan’s leadership that will be bear full responsibility for irreversible military-political consequences of those actions,” Mnatsakanian said after talks with his visiting Greek counterpart, Nikos Dendias.

Mnatsakanian also accused the Azerbaijani army of deliberately targeting civilian targets in Karabakh and even Armenia. He said at least 32 Armenia civilians have been killed since the start of the war on September 27.

Speaking at a joint news conference with Mnatsakanian, Dendias added his voice to the mediators’ calls for an immediate and unconditional halt to the fighting. “Let me repeat: the ceasefire must be strictly observed,” said the Greek foreign minister.

Last week, Greece recalled its ambassador to Azerbaijan after what it described as “unfounded and offensive” claims by the Azeri government that Athens tolerates pro-Armenian militants on its soil.