Azernews.Az

By Sara Rajabova

German MP has said the western states and Russia should exert their influence on Armenia in order to end the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

Johannes Kahrs, MP (SPD fraction) Deputy Chairman of the Parliamentarians Group South Caucasus of the German Bundestag made a statement on the solution of the Armenian-Azerbaijani Nagorno-Karabakh conflict on the publication "Hauptstadt INSIDER", AzerTag news agency reported.

He said for days, innocent people have been dying because of the periodic disturbance of ceasefire regime on frontline in the conflict between Azerbaijan and Armenia over Nagorno-Karabakh.

Kahrs noted that guiding by the four resolutions of UN Security Council the international community has demanded the immediate withdrawal of the Armenian occupation forces from Nagorno-Karabakh and seven other regions, but, without success.

He stressed that after the recent deaths of the soldiers, the western states together with Russia should exert their influence on Armenia in order to end the conflict about the illegal occupation.

"Otherwise, we will soon have the next fire source in the Caucasus," Kahrs said.

Tensions along the frontline were aggravated as Armenian armed forces attacked Azerbaijani positions. Armenia began to escalate tensions on the border areas on July 31. Sporadic fighting has continued ever since. Thirteen Azerbaijani servicemen were killed and several others injured during the clashes between two sides.

Armenia captured Nagorno-Karabakh and seven surrounding districts from Azerbaijan in a war that followed the Soviet breakup in 1991. More than 20,000 Azerbaijanis were killed and nearly 1 million were displaced as a result of the war.

Large-scale hostilities ended with a Russia-brokered ceasefire in 1994 but Armenia continued the occupation in defiance of four UN Security Council resolutions calling for immediate and unconditional withdrawal.

Peace talks mediated by Russia, France and the U.S. have produced no results so far.