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The United States is deeply concerned over the recent violations of the ceasefire, which have resulted in multiple casualties on the Karabakh-Azerbaijan Line of Contact over the last week, Department Spokesperson Heather Nauert noted in a statement released by the official website of the U.S. Department of State.

“We urge the sides to avoid escalation and encourage immediate consideration of measures to reduce tensions along the Line of Contact and the international border between Armenia and Azerbaijan,” the statement reads.

The Department of State reminds that in their statement released June 19, the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs called upon the parties to re-engage in negotiations on substance, in good faith, and with political will. The Co-Chairs further underscored that such negotiations are the only way to bring a lasting peace to the people of the region, who expect and deserve progress toward settlement of the conflict.

The statement notes that the United States continues to engage intensely with the sides.

“Our longstanding policy, shared by the Minsk Group co-chairs, is that a just settlement must be based on international law, which includes the Helsinki Final Act, in particular the principles of non-use of force, territorial integrity, and self-determination,” reads the statement.