Azerbaijan yet to respond to Armenia’s proposal to probe ceasefire violations

PanARMENIAN.Net - Azerbaijan has not yet responded to Armenia’s proposal to create a mechanism for investigating ceasefire violations, Secretary of the Security Council of Armenia Armen Grigoryan has said.

According to him, Yerevan is worried about disinformation being disseminated by the Azerbaijani Ministry of Defense accusing Armenia of violating the ceasefire.

“Armenia is alarmed by such reports, since the Armenian side does not take any steps towards escalation, and no shots are being fired,” the Secretary said.

“We are concerned about the spread of such false rumors, and to resolve the problem, we have publicly proposed that Azerbaijan create a joint investigation mechanism. This may be an investigative or other body that will investigate these cases and come to a final conclusion. We and the international community will have reliable data, we will find out whether such cases (violations of ceasefire – Ed.) or not,” Grigoryan said.

Armenia proposed joint investigations of ceasefire violations on the Armenian-Azerbaijani border alleged by either side. Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian floated the idea on June 15 following a series of statements by the Azerbaijani Defense Ministry that accused Armenian forces of opening fire at its troops at various sections of the border. The Armenian side categorically denied the claims.

Pashinian’s office said that it has communicated to Baku through unnamed “diplomatic channels” a proposal to create a “bilateral mechanism for investigation” of such claims. It declined give any details of that mechanism, RFE/RL’s Armenian service reports.