The CNN listened to the Foreign Ministers of Nagorno Karabakh and Azerbaijan as it presented developments along the line of contact.
“In the early hours of April 2 Azerbaijan initiated an unprecedented escalation at the line of contact between the armed forces of Nagorno Karabakh and Azerbaijan, using military equipment, artillery and aircraft,” NKR Foreign Minister Karen Mirzoyan told CNN.
“The Azerbaijani side fired artillery shells not only on the military positions, but also the populated areas, which resulted in many casualties, including among the civilian population,” Mirzoyan added.
Elmar Mammadyarov’s stated that “Azerbaijan is most interested in a peaceful settlement,” but said “we need a result from the point of view that our territories are under occupation.”
In response to the statement, teh NKR Foreign Minister said “it’s not a matter of territories, it’s a matter of self-determination.” “Twenty five years ago these people voted for independence, and now the current regime is Baku is trying to oppress this people not only by diplomatic, but also military means, which is a dangerous development.”
“We are looking for a diplomatic settlement, for a mechanism that will provide us with an opportunity of co-existence in this region,” the NKR Foreign Minister said.
Karen Mirzoyan added that “Karabakh highly appreciates the efforts of the OSCE Minsk Group, the international community, but added that any “unaddressed calls to both parties are received by Azerbaijan not as a sign of concern, not as a sign that it’s time to stop the violence, but as a sign that it could continue its policy.”
“We heard opinions from both sides,” the CNN host said at the end of the debate.
