UN and US Department of State express their concern over tension escalation in Karabakh conflict zone

The UN Secretary General and the US Department of State have issued statements in connection with the recent violations of the ceasefire regime in the Karabakh conflict zone.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that on June 22, Azerbaijan accused the Armenian side of 140 cases of shelling per day, and Nagorno-Karabakh reported the deaths of four Azerbaijani soldiers and officers during an attempted sabotage at night on June 22.

UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres has expressed his concern over violations of the ceasefire regime that resulted in casualties.

In his statement published on the UN website, Antonio Guterres has mentioned the visit of the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs to the region on June 19 and their appeal to reduce tension on the contact line by all means. "We also join the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs and call on the parties to the conflict to re-enter the negotiations on the merits, in good faith and with political will. The UN is ready to support such efforts if necessary," Antonio Guterres announced in his statement.

The US Department of State has also expressed its concern over "numerous victims on the contact line in the past week." "We urge the parties to the conflict to avoid escalation and immediately consider measures to reduce tension along the contact line and the international border between Armenia and Azerbaijan," stated Heather Nauert, the spokesperson for the US Department of State.

Full text of the article is available on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’.