Americans for Artsakh slams destructive Azeri policy on KarabakhFebruary 15, 2016 - 16:28 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - Americans for Artsakh (AFA) strongly condemns Azerbaijani ceasefire violations on the line of contact between the Nagorno Karabakh Republic (Artsakh) and Azerbaijan. This year alone, the provocations resulted in the deaths of Artsakh Defense Army privates Aramayis Voskanyan (born in 1996, killed on January 9, 2016) and Simon Chavrshyan (born in 1996, killed on February 4, 2016), as well as Artsakh civilian Hakob Hambardzumyan (born in 1962, killed on February 11, 2016). The latter was shot by an Azeri sniper while working in the field. “Azerbaijan’s provocations on the line of contact with the use of artillery weapons of different calibers and snipers resulting in deaths is outrageous and be must immediately ceased. We offer our condolences to the families and friends of private Voskanyan, private Chavrshyan and Hakob Hambardzumyan,” Noel Thompson, Executive Director of AFA stated. AFA calls on the government of Azerbaijan to stop its aggressive policy and resume a constructive dialogue with Nagorno Karabakh. The organization’s position complies with the U.S. official position suggesting the conflict must be resolved peacefully, and the use of violence is counterproductive and dangerous for the entire region. AFA also calls on the Azerbaijani government to respect the ceasefire agreement it co-signed with Nagorno Karabakh and Armenia in 1994, as well as to embrace the principles outlined in the most recent peace proposal of U.S. House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Ed Royce and Foreign Affairs Committee Ranking Member Eliot Engel. The proposal was co-signed by 85 Members of Congress, and along with other measures includes the removal of snipers from the line of contact. Armenia and Artsakh have joined the international mediators in supporting those life-saving initiatives; Azerbaijan has rejected the proposal. AFA also joins the call of Chairman Royce and Ranking Member Engel to the mediators to “publicly condemn specific acts of aggression.” 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 | Concept to complete Yerevan Cascade discussed at city hall A conceptual proposal to complete the Cascade complex in downtown Yerevan has been presented by Jean-Michel Wilmotte. Pashinyan visits flood-hit region Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan on Saturday, June 8 visited the disaster area in the Lori province. €3.5 mln EU grant to support justice reforms in Armenia The European Union has paid €3.5 mln grant to Armenia within a €11mln program on Support to Justice Reforms. Yerevan reacts to Baku’s proposal to see Minsk Group abolition Alen Simonyan has declared that Armenia is taking steps aimed at concluding a peace treaty with Azerbaijan. |