The situation on the contact line in Karabakh has been relatively calm in the last few months, the personal representative of the OSCE CIO, Ambassador Andrzej Kasprzyk has told journalists.
At the same time, there are some occurrences that may provoke escalation.
Kasprzyk welcomed the meeting of the Armenian and Azeri DMs. He said that their objective was to preserve and even improve the situation and to discuss ways to ensure cease-fire regime. There is no specific schedule of such meetings, but they are useful and it is necessary to hold them from time to time.
Asked if the sides should sign an agreement to confirm their commitment to preserve the cease-fire regime, Kasprzyk said that the cease fire regime is based on the political will of the sides and depends on the balance of forces. "I think that at this point the sides will say that they are fulfilling their political commitments so well that there is no need for additional document. I can say that my monitorings contribute to the strengthening of the cease-fire regime. The sides always help me in the matter which proves that their are willing to preserve the cease-fire regime," Kasprzyk said.
Asked about the mutual charges that one or another side fails to take the observers to forward defense lines, Kasprzyk said that forward defense lines can be different - permanent or temporary. "I am not sure where their real lines are," Kasprzyk said noting that in some cases the sides may deliberately keep observers from the lines.
Asked about specific facts of cease fire violations, Kasprzyk said that he has held 170 monitorings and has registered only 5 shots. Three times he was forced to cancel the monitoring. In his work Kasprzyk is based on the data provided by the commanders and defense ministries of the sides and he has no mandate for additional inquiry. Such an inquiry would require OSCE decision and additional personnel and financing. It would also require cooperation between commanders from both sides, but there is no cooperation for the moment.
* Disclaimer: NKR Office does not necessarily
share views of these writers
or news organizations.
