OFFICE OF THE NAGORNO KARABAKH REPUBLIC IN THE USA
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PRESS RELEASE
December 15, 2009
AZERBAIJAN FORCES CANCELLATION OF CEASE-FIRE MONITORING
International observers come under sniper fire near Line of Contact
The regular monitoring of the Line of Contact between Nagorno Karabakh
and Azerbaijani armed forces by OSCE observers, scheduled for December
15, 2009, was cancelled for security reasons after sniper fire from the
Azerbaijani side of the Line.
Additionally, Azerbaijan failed to permit OSCE observers to visit the
previously agreed section of the border.
The firing was registered and documented by the OSCE mission’s
representatives, including OSCE Office Coordinator, Lieutenant-Colonel
Imre Palatinus (Hungary), Field Assistants of Personal Representative of
OSCE Chairman-in-Office Irge Aberle (Czech Republic) and Vladimir
Tchountoulov (Bulgaria).
Since shortly after the signing of the cease-fire agreement in May 1994,
Office of Personal Representative of the OSCE Chair has been monitoring
the situation along the Line of Contact between NKR and Azerbaijan.
In recent years, Azerbaijan has taken steps to progressively undermine
the monitoring mission by barring observers from its forward positions,
forcing cancellation of monitoring and refusing OSCE requests to pull
back snipers from the Line of Contact.
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the public representing the official policies and interests of the
Nagorno Karabakh Republic.
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