Immediate Implementation of Tension Relaxation Measures is Crucial to Prevent New Provocations, Tonoyan

Armenia's Minister of Defense Davit Tonoyan expressed his concerns regarding the recent attempts by the opponent to escalate actions in certain areas along the Armenian-Azerbaijani state border to the Personal Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office, Ambassador Andrzej Kasprzyk.

The head of the defense department received the OSCE's Personal Representative on the evening of March 12 and presented the situation prevailing on the Armenian-Azerbaijani state border and the contact line of the Artsakh-Azerbaijan armed forces, as well as the frequency and nature of ceasefire violations.

Davit Tonoyan noted that regional geopolitical developments, international economic conditions, the pandemic situation, weather conditions, and a number of other factors increase the likelihood of destabilization of the situation. In this regard, the Minister emphasized the importance of the prompt implementation of tension relaxation measures to prevent new provocations.

Ambassador Kasprzyk expressed his willingness to exert maximum efforts towards easing tensions as part of his mediation mission. The interlocutors also discussed humanitarian issues concerning citizens in captivity and those held in detention.