Edward Nalbandyan: For withdrawing snipers from contact line first a work with Azerbaijan is necessary

YEREVAN, MARCH 23, ARMENPRESS: OSCE Chairman-in-Office, Lithuanian Foreign Minister Audronius Azubalis perhaps did not make his impromptu proposal on withdrawing snipers from the contact line of borders one-sidedly because he did not see a kind will in Baku, a constructive approach on the issue, Armenian Foreign Affairs Minister Edward Nalbandyan said today at the National Assembly in response to the question of parliamentarian Tachat Vardapetyan. To remind, Azubalis had proposed the Armenian party to withdraw the snipers from the contact-line one-sidedly.

According to the Armenian Foreign Affairs Minister, Azubalis is frankly concerned that the number of the victims can increase, taking into consideration that Armenia stands up for peace and is against application of threat of force, tries to make some positive shift in this issue with the help of Armenia.

“Taking into consideration that an adequate response position by Azerbaijan on such steps will be hardly expected, and taking into account that in the recent several years Azerbaijan obstinately refuses the proposals voiced by international community on withdrawing snipers from the contact line, first a work with very Azerbaijan is necessary and not with Armenia or Nagorno Karabakh, which have responded to this proposal positively,” Mr. Nalbandyan said. Answering to the question whether such a proposal will be put forth to Azerbaijan, Edward Nalbandyan noted that one more proposal by OSCE chairman-in-office is possible.

The Armenian Foreign Affairs Minister reminded that suchlike proposals were previously put forth by UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, and by the co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk group, but the reality is that Azerbaijan obstinately refuses them up today.