Lord David Evans urges int’l community to be more active on resolution of Karabakh conflict
British MP, Lord David Evans has called on the international community to take more active efforts to ensure peaceful settlement of Karabakh conflict.
“May I express condolences and sympathies with the people of Azerbaijan on the loss of life as a result of the recent flare up in the conflict. Azerbaijan`s actions unfortunately are understandable in the light of the absence of strong movements in mediators` efforts,” Lord David Evans told Azertac, as he commented on escalation of violence in the Nagorno-Karabakh region.
For over two decades, Azerbaijan and Armenia have been locked in conflict which emerged over Armenia's territorial claims against its South Caucasus neighbor. Since a war in the early 1990s, Armenian armed forces have occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan's territory, including Nagorno-Karabakh and seven surrounding regions.
“I understand that Azerbaijan has been and remains committed to the peaceful negotiated solution to the conflict. The fact that Azerbaijan has been at the negotiating table and been part of the peace talks under the auspices of OSCE Minsk Group manifests the country`s goodwill to resolve the conflict peacefully,” he said.
Lord David Evans hailed the fact that Azerbaijan declared a unilateral halt to military operations two days ago as a gesture of goodwill and heeding the calls from the international community
“It is obviously the shame that the international community, in particular the co-chairs of OSCE Minsk Group have failed to deliver a peaceful solution.
“If we want to avoid further escalation and casualties, the conflict can only be resolved through implementation of UN Security Council Resolutions as well as other resolutions and decisions of other international organizations. These resolutions have all reaffirmed sovereignty of Azerbaijan over the occupied territories, including Nagorno-Karabakh and called for the withdrawal of Armenian armed from those territories,” he added.
The situation on the frontline aggravated on April 2 after the Armenian military units in the occupied lands started shelling Azerbaijan’s positions. To protect civilian population, the Azerbaijani Armed Forces launched counter attacks and as a result, the Azerbaijani troops retook several strategic positions.
The hostilities renewed in the occupied Nagorno-Karabakh region of Azerbaijan on April 4, as the Armenian side continued to shell the Azerbaijani positions although the Azerbaijani side announced unilateral ceasefire on April 3.
The Azerbaijani Army destroyed about 370 enemy soldiers since the start of the hostilities, according to the defense ministry.
Azerbaijan and Armenia have agreed to cease operations on the line of contact starting from 12.00, April 5.
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