Yerevan responds to Baku's provocations: Oral arrangement reached in Moscow on April 5, 2016 cannot replace May 12, 1994 ceasefire agreement

Armenian Foreign Ministry has made a statement wherein it responds to the provocative letter to UN General Assembly. 

"Today at the UN General Assembly and Security Council Azerbaijan has disseminated yet another provocative letter dated April 14, 2016, where, striving to put the blame on Armenia, it unilaterally denounced May 12, 1994 trilateral ceasefire agreement signed between Azerbaijan, Nagorno- Karabakh and Armenia without time limitations.

Armenia strongly condemns this step whereby Azerbaijan grossly breaches May 1994 ceasefire agreement, as well as casts doubt on the July 1994 agreement on the reinforcement of ceasefire and the February 1995 agreement on the consolidation of ceasefire. Notably, the July 1994 agreement requires Azerbaijan to "maintain the ceasefire regime until signing of the big political agreement".

In this regard the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs already have expressed their position to Azerbaijan, including at the OSCE, in particular stating that 1994 and 1995 agreements, whose terms do not expire, as before, make up the foundation of the cessation of hostilities in the conflict zone. The Co- Chairs called on to strictly adhere to the above-mentioned agreements and not to permit their violation.  Disregarding this call, Azerbaijan resorted to this provocative step.

It is necessary to underline that the oral arrangement reached in Moscow on April 5, 2016, to which Azerbaijan refers in its letter, was directed at the cessation of aggressive actions unleashed by Azerbaijan against Nagorno-Karabakh and, as the Co-Chairs have stated, to restore the ceasefire regime. It is obvious, that the mentioned oral arrangement cannot replace the May 12, 1994 ceasefire agreement.

The 1994 and 1995 trilateral ceasefire agreements have for years served as a basis for preserving the fragile ceasefire. Any harm to these agreements is a serious obstacle for the peace process, hinders the efforts of the Co-Chairs and the Personal Representative of the OSCE Chairman in Office and undermines regional security.

Armenia urges the Co-Chair countries, the international community to immediately undertake all necessary measures to oblige Azerbaijan to strictly abide to the 1994 ceasefire agreement and to implement its international commitments to refrain from the threat or use of force.  The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Armenia states that, taking into consideration the possible dangerous consequences emanating from this irresponsible step of Azerbaijan, and as a signatory party to 1994 and 1995 existing agreements on the ceasefire and the consolidation of the ceasefire, Armenia will exert every possible effort and carry out all necessary steps to guarantee the security of Nagorno- Karabakh and its population," the statement reads.