OSCE calls on Yerevan and Baku to adhere to ceasefire agreementMay 11, 2009 - 18:35 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - Greek Foreign Minister and OSCE Chairsperson-in-Office Dora Bakoyannis has today expressed hope that the parties to NKR conflict should make further progress towards a peaceful settlement, and urged them to fully implement the provisions of the ceasefire, including withdrawal of snipers from the front lines. The Greek FM also welcomed Armenian and Azeri Presidents' constructive dialogue during the May 7 Summit in Prague, "I fully support the efforts of the Minsk Group Co-Chairs, as well as of my Personal Representative, Ambassador Andrzej Kasprzyk, to encourage a peaceful and negotiated resolution of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, on the basis of the Madrid Document," she emphasized. Mrs. Bakoyanis also said that although the important ceasefire that was signed 15 years ago, the situation on the ground remains extremely volatile. "Confidence-building measures are necessary, and I urge the parties to respect all provisions of the ceasefire, as well as the proposals of the Co-Chairs at the 2008 Helsinki OSCE Ministerial Conference to withdraw snipers from the front lines," Dora Bakoyannis said. Top stories Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev arrived in Moscow on April 22 to hold talks with Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin. Authorities said a total of 192 Azerbaijani troops were killed and 511 were wounded during Azerbaijan’s offensive. In 2023, the Azerbaijani government will increase the country’s defense budget by more than 1.1 billion manats ($650 million). The bill, published on Monday, is designed to "eliminate the shortcomings of an unreasonably broad interpretation of the key concept of "compatriot". Partner news | Putin congratulates Pashinyan’s birthday Russian President Vladimir Putin congratulated Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan on his birthday on June 1. Opposition motorcade en route to Gyumri for large rally A motorcade of protesters headed by Archbishop Bagrat Galstanyan is heading to the city of Gyumri. Ruling MPs, Foreign Minister talk Armenia-Azerbaijan processes MOs from the ruling Civil Contract party met with the Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan in the Armenian parliament. Russia: Armenia’s frozen membership weakens CSTO position in Caucasus A Russian envoy said any step that could alienate the CSTO member states from each other is “deeply wrong”. |