14:51, 1 November, 2020

YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 1, ARMENPRESS. Armenia has been always supportive of the idea of permanent ceasefire monitoring which was introduced in the peace process by the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs immediately after the 2016 April escalation, Foreign Minister Zohrab Mnatsakanyan said in an interview to Sputnik International.

“Armenia and Azerbaijan agreed to the expansion of the OSCE monitoring team and ceasefire investigation mechanism. However, later on Azerbaijan refused to implement this agreement. This indicates that neither yesterday nor today Azerbaijan is interested in a sustainable and verifiable ceasefire. Our position is unchanged and we support deployment of observers”, the Armenian FM said.

The FM said on October 10 foreign ministers of Russia, Armenia and Azerbaijan agreed in Moscow the joint statement which through its subsequent articles presents itself as a road map for its implementation.

“Thus the first three articles, which envisage cessation of fire, elaboration of parameters of ceasefire, exchange of bodies and PoWs should be unconditionally and immediately implemented. The main diverging issue at the negotiations was reluctance of Azerbaijan to commit itself to a sustainable and verifiable ceasefire. Azerbaijan has been refusing to establish verification mechanisms in line with its longstanding position of avoiding sustainable ceasefire and keeping room for blame game”, he added.

Editing by Aneta Harutyunyan