Azernews.Az

US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has called on Azerbaijan and Armenia to pull snipers from the contact line of the two countries` armed forces.

``We regret any loss of life and continue to call upon the sides to take steps - including the withdrawal of snipers - to improve the atmosphere for negotiations, prevent unnecessary casualties, and strengthen implementation of the ceasefire,`` Clinton said answering a query from Rep. Howard Berman, the Armenian National Committee of America was quoted as saying on its website.

Clinton said that as a co-chair of the mediating OSCE Minsk Group, the United States remains deeply committed to helping the sides in the Nagorno Karabakh conflict reach a lasting and peaceful settlement.

According to Clinton, the U.S. has emphasized that the parties should show restraint in both their public statements and on the ground to avoid misunderstandings and unintended consequences.

``We reiterate at every opportunity that there is no military solution to the conflict and that only a peaceful settlement will lead to security, stability, and reconciliation in the region,`` she added.

A fragile ceasefire has been in place in the region since a brutal war between the two South Caucasus neighbors that claimed some 30,000 lives and displaced about one million Azerbaijanis from their homes. Armenia has since occupied a part of Azerbaijan`s territory, despite four UN resolutions on an unconditional pullout of its armed forces and condemnation by a number of other international groups. Peace talks, brokered by the United States, Russia and France through the Minsk Group, have been largely fruitless so far.