Armenian defense minister says planned Sochi meeting not to end incidents in Karabakh conflict zone

YEREVAN, August 6. / ARKA /. A meeting of Armenian and Azerbaijani presidents scheduled to take place August 8 or 9 in the southern Russian resort town of Sochi will not end truce violation incidents on the line of contact in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict zone, Armenian defense minister Seyran Ohanyan told a news conference today.

Over the last days the simmering tensions boiled over into the fiercest clashes seen since a ceasefire was agreed in 1994.  At least 25 Azeri and five Armenian soldiers have lost their lives."

“I think that the Azerbaijani side will try to keep tension running high until the meeting, and for me it is unlikely that after the meeting Azerbaijan will recommit itself to the observation of the ceasefire," he said.

Ohanyan argued that ahead and in the wake of important political events Azerbaijan seeks to raise tension on the line of contact in Nagorno-Karabakh and along its border with Armenia in an effort to influence international organizations and the Armenian society, and also to raise the morale of its armed forces.

The minister noted nevertheless that high-level Armenian-Azerbaijani meetings play a positive role as well. 

"Any such meeting creates an opportunity for starting negotiations and dialogue. For all of us it is clear that dialogue is the only way that we can use to give a boost to the political and peaceful solution to the conflict," he said. -0-