Armenia urges Azerbaijan to start immediate talks on peace treaty
YEREVAN, March 29, /ARKA/. Armenia's Security Council convened late on March 28 to discuss the security situation around Nagorno–Karabakh, the government press office said. It said the situation was assessed as extremely tense.
'The analysis of the situation shows that the Republic of Azerbaijan, trying to find imaginary justifications, is paving the way for new provocations and attacks in the direction of Nagorno-Karabakh, including accusing the Republic of Armenia of un-constructive actions in the issue of the peace treaty.
In the current situation, the Security Council considers it necessary to reaffirm the earlier position of the Republic of Armenia and offers the Republic of Azerbaijan to immediately start negotiations on a comprehensive peace treaty.
The Security Council, drawing the attention of the international community on the chances for armed clashes in Nagorno-Karabakh and on the Armenian-Azerbaijani border, considers it necessary to launch international containment mechanisms to prevent further military escalation and ethnic cleansing in the region,' the Security Council said in a statement.
On March 24 Azerbaijani troops invaded the Armenian –populated village of Parukh in the Askeran region of Nagorno-Karabakh, triggering deadly fighting with Karabakh Armenian forces. According to Nagorno-Karabakh defense ministry, at least 5 Azerbaijani soldiers and three Armenian soldiers were killed and many others wounded. Azerbaijani troops partially withdrew from the area after the intervention of Russian peacekeepers stationed in Karabakh.
Also, on Monday, Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan had separate meetings with the Russian, French and US ambassadors, who represent the co-chairing countries of the Minsk Group, as well as Igor Khovaev, the Russian co-chair, to discuss ways to ease the tension in Karabakh.
Earlier this month, Yerevan asked the U.S., Russian and French co-chairs of the Minsk Group to mediate Armenian-Azerbaijani talks on a peace treaty. -0-
