Will snipers be withdrawn from Contact Line?
On September 26, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said that he supports the withdrawal of snipers from the line of contact between Azerbaijani and NKR armed forces, which will considerably strengthen the truce between the parties to the conflict.
Commenting on UN SG's words, Azerbaijani defense ministry spokesman Eldar Sabıroğlu said the withdrawal of snipers will not contribute to the settlement of the Karabakh conflict.
In this regard, the Armenian Defense Ministry announces that Armenia has raised the issue of removing snipers many times saying it will weaken tension and lessen losses from both sides. The OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs also made a similar proposal.
It is strange that the Azerbaijani side, which is constantly blaming Armenia for violating truce and inciting subversive attacks, does not want to withdraw its snipers from the line of contact.
As for the ceasefire violation by the Armenian side, we must say that Sabıroğlu distorts the facts as usual. Armenia is committed to the ceasefire agreement, which cannot be said about Azerbaijani armed forces. This is evidenced by Azerbaijan's failed sabotage of September 17, which left Armenian serviceman Andranik Sargsyan killed on the frontline.
OSCE Chairman-in-Office, OSCE MG and EU condemned the attack saying the use of force will further complicate the situation in the region and result in new hostilities.
