OSCE Chairman expresses concern over cease-fire violation in Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and recent casualties; calls for restraint

HELSINKI, 5 March 2008 - The OSCE Chairman-in-Office, Finnish Foreign Minister Ilkka Kanerva, expressed serious concern today about military activity on the Line of Contact in the conflict dealt with by the OSCE Minsk Conference on the morning of 4 March, in particular over reports of casualties including fatalities.

"I call on the parties to exercise maximum restraint, and observe the terms of the cease-fire," the Minister said. "At this critical juncture in the negotiations to find a peaceful solution to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, any action leading to a destabilisation 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 Chairman-in-Office, recalling his trip last week to the region, added that in his talks with the leadership in both Armenia and Azerbaijan he had underlined the importance of maintaining stability in the region and of efforts towards a peaceful resolution of the conflict.

"My Personal Representative on the Conflict dealt with by the OSCE Minsk Conference, Ambassador Andrzej Kasprzyk, is in the region at the moment and has been in close contact with the parties," the Minister said.