March 22, 2008 - 14:30 AMT
RA Defense Minister: Karabakh conflict can't be resolved by use of force
Armenia's Defense Minister Mikael Harutyunyan said he rules out resolution of the Nagrono Karabakh conflict by use of force.

"The conflict should be resolved via peaceful talks. Any violence should be ruled out," he told reporters in Yerevan.

"The situation at the line of contact of the Armenian and Azerbaijani armed forces in fully controlled by the Armenian side," he said, adding that the situation at the line of contact of the Armenian and Azerbaijani armed forces in fully controlled by the Armenian side.

"Up to 4 shots were fixed at the contact line in early March and only 12 were fixed last night," the Minister said, Novosti Armenia reports.

On March 4 early morning Azeri special forces attacked a position of the NKR Defense Army near Levonarkh settlement of Mardakert region. The attack was rebuffed and status quo restored.

A crisis monitoring due on March 7 by request of the NKR MFA was postponed through Azerbaijan's fault.