Clashes On Armenian-Azerbaijani Border Can Increase Tensions In South Caucasus - OSCE

Armed clashes similar to the one that happened on April 11 on the Armenian-Azerbaijani border can lead to increased tension in South Caucasus, Chairman-in-Office of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) Bujar Osmani said on Wednesday

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 12th April, 2023) Armed clashes similar to the one that happened on April 11 on the Armenian-Azerbaijani border can lead to increased tension in South Caucasus, Chairman-in-Office of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) Bujar Osmani said on Wednesday.

On Tuesday, at least seven troops were killed in a cross-border shootout between Armenia and Azerbaijan that took place near the mountain road that links Armenia to the disputed Nagorno-Karabakh region. The sides blamed each other for the incident.

"Armed incidents similar to the one that occurred (the day before) on the Armenian-Azerbaijani border can really heighten tensions in the region. The OSCE supports all initiatives that facilitate dialogue and defuse tensions, including confidence-building measures leading to normalization of relations (between Azerbaijan and Armenia)," Osmani said at a press conference after talks with Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov.

The OSCE head also underlined that he advocates the continuation of direct contacts between Baku and Yerevan, which is necessary to put an end to hostilities.

Osmani is paying a visit to Baku. Earlier in the day, he met with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and held talks Bayramov, during which they exchanged views on the cooperation agenda between Azerbaijan and the OSCE.

Last year, Yerevan and Baku with the mediation of Russia, the United States and the European Union began discussing a future peace treaty.