Use of forces by Azerbaijan serious threat to regional security – Armenian Deputy FM

Armenpress News Agency , Armenia
 Friday


Use of forces by Azerbaijan serious threat to regional security –
Armenian Deputy FM



YEREVAN, JUNE 30, ARMENPRESS. OSCE’s Annual Security Review
Conference2017 took place in Vienna on June 27-29. Armenian delegation
led by Deputy Foreign Minister Ashot Hovakimyan participated in the
conference, “Armenpress” was informed from the press service of the
MFA Armenia.

In the opening remarks the Armenian Deputy FM referred to the factors
shaping the current environment of the European security, indicating
the contradictions over the issue of the security regime between the
main players in the OSCE area, the disability in the neighborhood of
the OSCE area and the use of force in the settlement of conflicts.
Deputy Minister Hovakimyan underlined that OSCE’s field capacity
reduction was another negative factor.

Ashot Hovakimyan noted that use of force can in no way be justified,
moreover, it thwarts the settlement processes that are underway in the
sidelines of the already agreed formats. The Deputy Minister specially
noted that the use of force against Nagorno Karabakh by Azerbaijan is
manifested by daily violations of the cease-fire agreement. Azerbaijan
also denies implementing the agreements reached in Vienna and St.
Petersburg. The Deputy Minister also highlighted that Azerbaijan was
not interested in ensuring the field presence of the OSCE and for that
reason it pursued the goal of suspending the field missions of the
OSCE in Baku and Yerevan.

Ashot Hovakimyan also gave a speech at the session on conflict and
crisis situations in the OSCEarea, security and confidence building.
He mentioned in his speech that the use of force by Azerbaijan is a
serious threat for the regional security.

Highlighting the unconditional implementation of the Vienna and St.
Petersburg agreements by Azerbaijan, Ashot Hovakimyan emphasized that
even the absence of the investigative mechanisms on the front line is
not an obstacle for detecting the initiator of the violations. In this
context the statement issued by the OSCE Minsk Group Co-chairs
addressed to Azerbaijan about the ceasefire violation and shelling of
the military equipment of Armenia deployed along the contact line was
highlighted.

The Deputy Foreign Minister of Armenia underlined that the top level
support of Turkey to Azerbaijan in regard to the cease fire
violations, as well as the closed borders in the region are additional
provoking factors. It was mentioned that Armenia has always made use
of the OSCE platform to engage in a dialogue with the OSCE participant
states, including Turkey, but the Turkish side has left the remarks
raised by Armenia unanswered.

The Deputy Minister stressed that OSCE’s involvement in the region
should be enhanced aimed at building confidence and ensuring security
during conflict and crisis situations.