HELSINKI, Finland, March 6 (UPI) -- The head of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe has called for restraint after violations of the Nagorno-Karabakh cease-fire.
A dispute between Armenia and Azerbaijan in the disputed Nagorno-Karabakh area led to an exchange of fire and the death of as many as 16 soldiers. The OSCE chairman-in-office, Finnish Foreign Minister Ilkka Kanerva, is calling for restraint from both sides of the conflict, the OSCE reported.
"I call on the parties to exercise maximum restraint, and observe the terms of the cease-fire," Kanerva said in a statement. "At this critical juncture in the negotiations to find a peaceful solution to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, any action leading to a destabilization of the line of contact can only have a negative impact on the overall situation. I urge the parties to avoid actions that could lead to further unnecessary loss of life."
The exchange violates the cease-fire agreement established by Armenia and Azerbaijan in 1994 after a bloody conflict. Kanerva was in the region to attend the OSCE Minsk Conference and says during talks with Armenia and Azerbaijan officials he "underlined the importance of maintaining stability in the region and of efforts towards a peaceful resolution of the conflict," the release said.
