BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 12
Trend:
Unfortunately, ceasefire violations continue on the border between Azerbaijan and Armenia and on the line of contact, Spokesperson for the Russian Foreign Ministry Maria Zakharova said at a briefing, Trend reports on March 12.
“As a result, there are killed and wounded,” the spokesperson said. “I would like to express condolences to the relatives of those killed. We urge the parties to show restraint, refrain from using force and intensify the negotiation process aimed at reaching the settlement by political means. I can also assure you that we will continue to monitor thissituation and provide prompt comments on the subject."
The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts.
The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on withdrawal of its armed forces from Nagorno Karabakh and the surrounding districts.