March 17, 2005 - 07:13 AMT
NKR DEFENSE MINISTRY: AZERBAIJAN RESPONSIBLE FOR CASUALTIES AT CONTACT LINE MARCH 7 AND 9
The Nagorno Karabakh Republic Defense Ministry flatly denied reports of Azeri media referring to the Defense Ministry of Azerbaijan March 15 on alleged skirmish in Aghdam direction. As NKR Defense Minister commented, an attempt to turn everything on its head and accuse Nagorno Karabakh in breaking the cease-fire regime is evident in the obvious disinformation, which comes from the Azeri party. It is Azerbaijan who is responsible for the incidents ac the contact line March 7 and 9, which resulted in casualties, the NKR Defense Ministry noted. Simultaneously, when commenting on Azeri Turan news agency today's report on alleged skirmish - again in the Aghdam direction, the source noted that no breaks were registered at the time mentioned. As reported by Arminfo news agency, commenting on a report of Day.az Azeri news agency on alleged exchange of fire at the contact line of the Armenian and Azeri Armed Forces in Ijevan (Armenia)-Gazakh (Azerbaijan) region March 14, Press Secretary of the Armenian Defense Ministry, Colonel Seyran Shahsuvarian called it false. In his words, it is uttermost disinformation, at that not only regarding "the shots from the Armenian side", but also shots of the Azeri party. "There was no fire even from their side. This report is recurrent provocation," the Press Secretary noted, adding that there were not shots in the mentioned region lately. In his words, the Azeri party tries to remind about the stretch of the contact line between the Armed Forces of Armenia and Azerbaijan when occasion offers and regularly makes statements on alleged fire.