Epress.am News from Armenia
In recent days, the Azerbaijani side has repeatedly tried to penetrate Armenian positions and carry out subversive activities — peaceful Armenian settlements are regularly pelted with different types of weapons. Azerbaijan's military-political leadership seeks to take advantage of new geopolitical realities and wreck the possibility of a peaceful settlement to the NKR conflict with such adventurous attacks, reads a "rare joint statement" issued yesterday by the six Armenian parties represented in parliament — Republican Party of Armenia, Prosperous Armenia Party, Armenian National Congress, Rule of Law, Armenian Revolutionary Federation, and Heritage Party — on the recent outbreak of violence at the Armenia-Azerbaijan border and the Karabakh-Azerbaijan Line of Contact.
"The irresponsible and disproportionate to the situation attitude of Azerbaijan's leadership is contrary to the principle of resolving the conflict through peaceful negotiations of the OSCE Minsk Group and international community.
"Once again due to the Armenian forces' forced retaliatory actions, the opponent was pushed back, having victims and injured. The soldiers standing at the borders of our homeland proved that with their constantly adequate response they won't allow Azerbaijan to achieve military superiority. During those provocations, Armenian soldiers showed their high combat readiness and unconditional dedication to defending [their] homeland.
"Stressing the paramount importance of the Armenian public's unity around Armenia's Armed Forces In the current situation, the factions of the National Assembly of the Republic of Armenia call upon
"- the OSCE Minsk Group co-chair countries to take practical steps in the direction of withdrawing snipers from the borders of the Republic of Armenia, Republic of Nagorno-Karabakh, and Republic of Azerbaijan, investigating the incidents, and ruling out statements and actions that spread hate among the peoples, and
"- international agencies and states to refrain from general assessments, an approach that attributes equality among the parties, and to condemn Azerbaijan's aggressive and provocative actions aimed at resolving the issue by military force. To stop large arms sales to a military aggression–prone Azerbaijan, which is contrary to efforts to establish lasting peace.
"At the same time, we declare that if Azerbaijan's leadership continues its destructive behavior, only it will bear the full responsibility of the unforeseen development of events. The Armenian people and Armenian soldiers have proven and will prove that they are prepared to ensure the security of Armenia and Nagorno Karabakh," reads the statement in full.