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The US Co-chair of the OSCE Minsk Group James Warlick describes the 4-day long tension on Armenia-Azerbaijan border and especially the injuries of civilians as worrying and stresses that the Co-chairs strictly call the sides to take all precautionary measures to prevent shooting in civilians surroundings. In an interview with the Armenpress news agency, the Co-chair emphasizes the need for a political will to settle the conflict around the negotiation table, not on the battlefield.

“We are extremely troubled by reports of civilian areas being targeted by military forces. We appeal to the sides in the strongest possible terms to take every precaution against firing in the vicinity of the civilian population.

Armenian and Azerbaijani forces have a humanitarian obligation to protect civilian lives. As we have stressed before, the leadership in Armenia and Azerbaijan needs to find the political will to reach a resolution of the conflict at the negotiation table, not on the battlefield”, James Warlick said.

In the past few days Azerbaijan has escalated the situation on the border and kept dozens of border villages of Tavush province under fire. An Armenian serviceman was killed by gunfire. The ceasefire violations left several other Armenians, including civilians, wounded.