FM says main cause of tension is illegal presence of Armenian troops in occupied territories of Azerbaijan
Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov in connection with the situation on the front line, had telephone conversations with the heads of the Foreign Ministry of Georgia, France and Lithuania, Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry's press service told Trend April 4.
Mammadyarov, informing about events in the conflict zone, said that the Armenian units took target the population closely residing in frontline areas and civilian objects. He also said that as a result of the shelling of the Armenian side a number of civilians were killed and injured.
The Minister noted that despite the decision of the Azerbaijani Armed Forces on April 3 on unilateral ceasefire, the Armenian units continue to violate the ceasefire and shelling villages and civilians.
Mammadyarov added that the main cause of tension is the illegal presence of Armenian troops in the occupied territories of Azerbaijan.
The Foreign Minister said that to relieve stress and achieve progress, Armenian troops should be withdrawn from the occupied territories of Azerbaijan, and also said that the conflict can be resolved only on the basis of the principles of territorial integrity and sovereignty of Azerbaijan.
On the night of Apr. 2, all the frontier positions of Azerbaijan were subjected to heavy fire from Armenians, who were using large-caliber weapons, mortars, grenade launchers and guns. Azerbaijani settlements near the frontline densely populated by civilians were shelled as well.
A counter-attack was carried out following the provocations of the Armenian armed forces on the night of Apr. 2.
Six Armenian tanks, 15 gun mounts and reinforced engineering structures were destroyed and more than 100 servicemen of the Armenian armed forces were wounded and killed during the shootouts.
Twelve servicemen of the Azerbaijani armed forces heroically died, one Mi-24 helicopter was shot down and one tank was damaged on a mine.
Three more soldiers of Azerbaijan were killed during the past day and night as a result of the ceasefire violation.
On Apr. 4, Azerbaijani armed forces destroyed three tanks and eliminated around 30 servicemen of the Armenian armed forces.
The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, in 1992 Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts.
The two countries signed a ceasefire agreement in 1994. The co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group, Russia, France and the US are currently holding peace negotiations.
Armenia has not yet implemented the UN Security Council's four resolutions on withdrawal of its armed forces from the Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding districts.
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