CSTO concerned over escalating tension on Armenian - Azerbaijani border

YEREVAN, July 29. /ARKA/. The secretary general of the Russian-led Collective Security Treaty Origination (CSTO) Stanislav Zas conveyed his condolences to the families of three Armenian servicemen killed in the latest clash between Armenian and Azerbaijani troops in the Gegharkunik section of the border.

"On the night of July 28, 2021, military clashes took place on the border of Armenia and Azerbaijan, as a result of which three servicemen of the Armenian Armed Forces were killed and four were wounded. I express my deep condolences to the families of the victims and wish a speedy recovery to the wounded," Zas said in a statement posted on CSTO official website.

It says CSTO is concerned that the tension on the border may further escalate and negatively affect the implementation of the trilateral agreements signed by the leaders of Azerbaijan, Armenia and Russia on November 10, 2020.

"We consider the use of force unacceptable. To resolve contradictions, only political and diplomatic methods should be used. I welcome the efforts of the Russian Federation aimed at stabilizing the situation in the region," the statement says.

Three Armenian soldiers had been killed in an exchange of gunfire with Azerbaijan on July 28 provoked by the Azerbaijani side. Both sides later accepted a Russian ceasefire proposal to try to calm tensions, but on July 29 morning Azerbaijan again breached the ceasefire.

On May 12-14, Azerbaijani troops crossed several sections of the border and advanced a few kilometers into Gegharkunik and Syunik provinces. Yerevan has repeatedly demanded their unconditional withdrawal. Baku maintains that they did not cross into Armenian border.

Armenia officially asked the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) to take action against Azerbaijani incursions into its territory. 

On May 25, an Armenian contract serviceman V. Khurshudyan was fatally wounded in a shootout that began after Azerbaijani troops fired shots at an Armenian military post near Verin Shorzha village.

On May 27, Azerbaijani troops advanced 800 meters into the Armenian territory surrounded and captured 6 Armenian servicemen who were carrying out engineering work to beef up the protection of the border in Gegharkunik province.
On the same day Armenia's acting Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan suggested that international observers from Russia or other Minsk Group countries be deployed at Sotk-Khoznavar section on Armenia's border with Azerbaijan.

Speaking at a Security Council meeting later in the day Pashinyan said his proposal was prompted by the tension that has reached an explosive point in that section of the border.

He said his proposal is addressed to the international community and the government of Azerbaijan- Azerbaijan and Armenia must agree to pull back their troops from the border to their permanent deployment places, so that international observers from Russia or other OSCE Minsk Group co-chairing county (France or the United States) be deployed along the entire section of the border.

The Armenian village of Yeraskh, located on the border with Azerbaijani exclave Nakhichevan, has been under the fire of the Azerbaijani troops from July 14. The interstate M2 highway connecting the north of Armenia with the south, Nagorno-Karabakh and Iran runs through Yeraskh. To the west of Yeraskh is the Armenian-Turkish state border.

Pashinyan told a government meeting today that the government will consider the possibility of deploying Russian border guards along the entire length of the country’s border with Azerbaijan. He said despite the efforts made by the government of Armenia and the international community, the situation on the Armenian-Azerbaijani border is not stabilizing.

"Azerbaijan continues the aggressive rhetoric and actions, ignoring all the proposals of the international community for a lasting and political settlement of the situation," Pashinyan said. -0--