Question: Mr. Nalbandian, how would you comment the gross violations of ceasefire regime by Azerbaijan right before the meeting of the Presidents?

Edward Nalbandian: We strongly condemn the unprecedented escalation of the situation by Baku on the Line of Contact with Nagorno-Karabakh, which resulted in numerous human losses on the eve of the December 19th meeting of Presidents of Armenia and Azerbaijan on the initiative of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs.

We express our deep condolences to the relatives of the fallen soldiers of the Defense Army of Nagorno-Karabakh.

The increase of tension in the conflict zone as a consequence of the provocations by Azerbaijan on the eve of each and every high-level meeting has become routine. Baku is under the delusion that it can negotiate at the point of the sword. Azerbaijan heads towards new adventures, despite the numerous calls of the Co-Chair states to exclude the use of force. Through such actions Baku attempts to divert the negotiation process from its purpose of establishment of peace and settlement of the conflict.

In these circumstances it is indispensable to undertake concrete steps to reduce tensions - create mechanism of investigation of incidents proposed by the Co-Chairs, consolidate observation mission of the Personal Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office, increase the number of his field assistants. We expect practical measures of the Co-Chair countries in this regard.