Russia says Azerbaijan initiated recent escalation in KarabakhMay 19, 2017 - 11:18 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - Azerbaijan initiated the recent escalation along the contact line with Nagorno Karabakh, a Russian foreign ministry spokeswoman said on Thursday, May 18. “According to information from various sources, on May 15 afternoon the Azerbaijani side shelled a military objective on the other side of the contact line. Accordingly, the other side responded,” Maria Zakharova said. “We have contradictory data on the type of the facility, the extent of its damage, and the question of casualties among personnel.” She stressed that as a mediator in the settlement process, Russia condemns ceasefire violations and calls on the parties to take all necessary measures to prevent further escalation in the conflict zone. Also Thursday, the co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group cited "information collected from multiple reliable sources" which proved that Azerbaijan initiated the latest escalation on the contact line. Top stories Six total incidents have burned 19 old-growth trees. Friday night 8 trees were torched along the beautiful main entrance. The EU does not intend to conduct military exercises with Armenia, Lead Spokesperson for EU Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Peter Stano says. Hikmet Hajiyev has said that there is no place for USAID operation in Azerbaijan any longer. A telephone conversation between Putin and Pashinyan before the CSTO summit is not planned, Peskov says. Partner news | Czech-Armenian military cooperation discussed in Yerevan A delegation led by the Director General for the Industrial Cooperation Division of the Ministry of Defence of the Czech Republic visited Armenia. Ex-Karabakh leader moved to solitary confinement cell in Baku, his son says David Vardanyan is the son of former Karabakh leader Ruben Vardanyan who who is currently imprisoned in Azerbaijan. Freedom House concerned by mounting reports of police violence in Armenia Freedom House urged Armenian authorities to investigate this pattern of excessive force and inhumane treatment. CSTO recognizes Armenia’s sovereign right to withdraw Tasmagambetov has said that if Armenia decides to leave the organization, “it will be the sovereign right of Armenia.” |