BAKU: Azerbaijani Defense Ministry: Armenia’s Statement On Intensive

AZERBAIJANI DEFENSE MINISTRY: ARMENIA’S STATEMENT ON INTENSIVE CEASEFIRE VIOLATION ‘GROUNDLESS’
Trend, K. Zarbaliyeva

Trend
Jan 17 2011
Azerbaijan

Azerbaijan’s Defense Ministry called accusations by the Armenian
Defense Ministry of intensive ceasefire violations by the Azerbaijani
armed forces “groundless.”

“The Azerbaijani side is committed to the observance of the ceasefire
on the frontline, but the Armenian side has violated the ceasefire
the past two days, wounding Azerbaijani soldiers,” Azerbaijani Defense
Ministry spokesman Teymur Abdullayev told Trend today.

Meanwhile, Armenia attributed these actions to Azerbaijan, he added.

Armenian media reported alleged ceasefire violations by the Azerbaijani
armed forces in recent days, which injured two Armenian soldiers.

The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988
when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. Armenian
armed forces have occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan since 1992,
including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and 7 surrounding districts.

Azerbaijan and Armenia signed a ceasefire agreement in 1994. The
co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group – Russia, France, and the U.S. –
are currently holding the peace negotiations.

Armenia has not yet implemented the U.N. Security Council’s four
resolutions on the liberation of the Nagorno-Karabakh and the
surrounding regions.

From: A. Papazian