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MOSCOW, NOVEMBER 13, ARMENPRESS: The downing of the Armenian helicopter during a training flight provokes further aggravation of the situationin the region and increases our concerns, Secretary General of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) Nikolay Bordyuzha said in a statement. “Armed incidents have occurred along the line of contact of the armed forces of Nagorno Karabakh and Azerbaijan all through 2014. The ceasefire was violated over 1,500 times only during the three summer months with civilian settlements and peaceful population targeted. There were facts of incursion of subversive groups that resulted in violence and death of civilians,” the Secretary General said.
“Today we witnessed yet another violation of the ceasefire agreement. The downing of the helicopter is a dangerous expression of violence, which creates a new threat of escalation of the conflict. The situation in the South Caucasus is further aggravating,” he said. “We are deeply convinced of the need to prevent the threatening development of the situation. The most important things that couldprevent such turn of events includerefusal fromthe use of force, unequivocal commitment to the ceasefire agreement and avoidance of provocative actions. It’s important to ensure the continuation of the negotiation process on the settlement of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict,” CSTO Secretary General Nikolay Bordyuzha stated.
Earlier it was reported that in the airspace of the eastern sector of the Karabakh-Azerbaijani border, in the result of the violation of the ceasefire regime, the Azerbaijani Armed Forces shot a helicopter Mi-24 of the Air Forces of the Nagorno Karabakh Republic during a training flight on November 12 at 13:45. The place of the shot is very close to the line of contact. The press service of the Defense Army of the Nagorno Karabakh Republic informed Armenpress that the rival continues firing in the direction of the incident. The details of the incident are being investigated. Later it was announced from Stepanakert that by preliminary data there are three victims. The Commander of the staff was the Major Sergey Sahakyan.
The Spokesperson of the Artsakh President Davit Babayan told Armenpress that thehelicopter was not intended for military actions. “The helicopter was not intended for military actions and did not have any weapons in it. It just implemented training exercises. The helicopter was not of danger for the rival. The Azerbaijani side hit the helicopter from the back”, - said Davit Babayan.
On November 12 the OSCE Minsk Group spread a statement, condemning the incident.
On November 13 the European Union issued a statement on the incident: “Following reports of a cease-fire breach on 12 November 2014 along the Line of Contact, in which a military helicopter is reported to have been shot down, it is essential that all sides show restraint and avoid any actions or statements which could escalate the situation. Furthermore, we call for an investigation into this incident.The European Union reiterates its full support to the efforts of the OSCE Minsk Group and the three Co-Chairs. Both sides have to strictly respect the ceasefire, to refrain from the use of force or any threat thereof, and to resume efforts towards a peaceful resolution of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict.”