Semneby: EU is concerned of armed clashes in Nagorno-Karabakh

Today, President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliev received a delegation headed by Peter Semneby, Special Representative of the European Union (EU) for Southern Caucasus. Among other issues, the meeting discussed aggravation of the situation in the border with Karabakh.

Let us remind you that on August 5-7 Mr Semneby paid a visit to Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan.

Prior to meet Mr Aliev, Peter Semneby told journalists about the aims of his visit to Azerbaijan. According to his story, the EU is extremely worried about armed incidents between Azerbaijanis and Armenians, where both parties suffer losses. He was sure that the co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group would express their attitude to these events.

According to the EU's Representative, the forthcoming parliamentary elections in Azerbaijan will also be discussed at his meetings with the country's leadership, members of political parties and civil society activists. Mr Semneby has noted that at his meeting with Azerbaijani authorities he will discuss the relations with the EU, energy projects, situation in the region and the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. The "AZE.az" reports that Mr Semneby also plans to meet the Azerbaijani community of Nagorno-Karabakh.

Let us remind you that the situation in the Azerbaijan-Nagorno-Karabakh border has recently sharply aggravated.

As reported by the press service of the Defence Army of Nagorno-Karabakh, in the morning on September 4 one Azerbaijani soldier was killed and several more injured by a mine explosion that happened in the contact line of Azerbaijani troops with the army of Nagorno-Karabakh. The Azerbaijani party asserts that at night on September 4 the Armenian troops attacked the positions of its army near Chilabert village in the Terter District of Azerbaijan, as a result of which lost two Azerbaijan soldiers were lost.

On August 31, the Ministry of Defence of Azerbaijan reported a shelling of Azerbaijani positions by the Karabakh army near Chaily and Gyzyl villages of the Terter District. According to the Azerbaijani party, as a result of the fight, three Armenian militaries were killed and several more wounded; the Azerbaijani party lost two soldiers.

At night on June 19, as a result of an armed clash near Chaily village, Mardakert District, five persons were lost: the Karabakh party lost four militaries, the Azerbaijani party - one soldier. The parties imposed responsibility for the fight on each other.