Azerbaijan continues ignoring the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs’ calls for preservation of ceasefire. According to Armenian Defense Ministry statement, the co-chairs reiterated their call to preserve ceasefire at the November 5 meeting with Defense Minister Seyran Ohanyan. As a result, Armenia didn’t fire a single shot throughout the whole period.

“The incident that left Hrant Poghosyan dead is another proof of continuing Azeri policy of ceasefire violation, despite the calls of the co-chairs, during the latter’s visit to Baku. Armenian armed forces will take harsh preventive measures,” the ministry’s statement said.

The Armenian armed forces soldier, private Hrant Poghosyan was killed in Azeri shelling December 14.

The co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group: Igor Popov of Russia, Jacques Fore of France, James Warlick of the U.S., and Personal Representative of the OSCE Chairman-in-Office Andrzej Kasprzyk met Azeri President Ilham Aliyev in Baku. The co-chairs will next travel to Yerevan.

Over 14000 ceasefire violations by Azeri armed forces were reported at the contact line in 2012.

Azerbaijan fired over 68700 shots from various caliber weapons towards Karabakh positions, with intensified instances of ceasefire violations reported during state holidays and special events.

914 ceasefire violations were registered in December 2012 when Azerbaijan fired over 170 shots from sniper weapons, with 6 shots fired from large-caliber sniper weapons.

About 1000 ceasefire violations by Azerbaijan were reported in November, with 210 shots fired from sniper weapons.

The number of ceasefire violations by Azeris in October totaled 1050, in September - 1185, in August – 1161 and over 1300 and 3750 in July and June respectively.