Baku, Azerbaijan, Jan. 25
By Trend:
Use of force will not resolve Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, U.S. State Department Deputy Spokesperson Marie Harf said at press briefing on Friday.
"We've seen the reports and regret any loss of life anywhere, but certainly here as well. And our position remains that the use of force will not resolve this conflict. We call on all parties to refrain from the use or threat of force", Harf said.
Harf said that, U.S. remain deeply committed to working with Azerbaijan and Armenia to achieve a peaceful settlement of the conflict.
The situation on the contact line of Azerbaijani and Armenian troops has been escalating for the past four days. Armenian armed forces have violated the ceasefire status 380 times, Azerbaijani Defence Ministry reported earlier.
The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. Armenian armed forces have occupied 20 per cent of Azerbaijan since 1992, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven 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 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.