STEPANAKERT—Hours before the presidents of Armenia and Azerbaijan were to meet in mediated talks with Russian President Demitry Medvedev, Azeri sniper fire killed 20-year-old Harut Grigoyan, a soldier in the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic (Artsakh) Armed Forces.
The incident happened in the Line of Contact in Martakert, according to a statement issued by the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic Armed Forces.
“The Armenian Defense Ministry severely condemns Azerbaijan’s ongoing efforts of destabilization following the OSCE monitoring in the line of contact on the eve of Armenian and Azerbaijani Presidents’ meeting with Russian President’s meeting,” said a statement by defense ministry.
“Defense Ministry extends condolences to Harut Grigoryan’s family and states that Azerbaijan is responsible for this provocation by Azerbaijan’s armed forces,” the Armenian Defense Ministry press office reported.
“Azerbaijan continues to blatantly violate the 1994 cease-fire agreement, the 1995 agreement aimed at resolving tensions on the Line of Contact (LoC) and repeated declarations its leaders made to take constructive steps towards a peaceful resolution of the conflict,” said a statement issued Wednesday by the Office of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic in the United States.
“The shooting occurred hours after OSCE field representatives concluded their regular monitoring of the cease-fire regime along the LoC and hours before the Armenian and Azeri Presidents met with Russian president’s mediation to discuss steps to ease recent tensions,” explained the Washington-based representation.
“Azerbaijan continues to defy the international community’s calls for peace. Azerbaijan specifically refused to implement the 2008 OSCE proposal to remove snipers from the LoC,” the statement added.
“These actions continue to undermine Azerbaijan’s credibility as a trustworthy party in talks for a settlement of the Karabakh conflict,” expressed the statement.
The Nagorno-Karabakh Republic reiterates that a direct condemnation of Azerbaijan’s provocations by the international community would help prevent further military escalation, and contribute to the mediating efforts under the auspices of the OSCE Minsk Group,” concluded the statement.
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Why are we the ones that are respecting the cease fire and not them. Enough is enough, when day kill one of our soldiers we should take out ten of theirs. Then and only then they will respect the cease fire.
We are not respecting the cease fire either trust me if you served in Kharabagh both sides fire constantly and both sides have snipers along the contact line we just dont hear stories of it.
I read the Azeri sites regularly and I have have not read about any Azeri casualties recently. It seems the Azeris have better snipers.
Thank you Armen I was going to comment just your last sentence about sniper skills.
While there are occasional skirmishes between both sides, only Azerbaijan deploys snipers on the contact line. Karabagh respected the proposal and does not have snipers shooting at Azeri patrols or individual soldiers.
Well that’s wrong, they SHOULD have snipers.
It’s easy to give advice from far away , it’s hard to be on the battlefield.
Did anyone say it’s easy or anything in that regards?
Perhaps you should be on the battlefield instead of commenting on Asbarez.
We must retaliate. What’s the purpose of not fighting a war if they killing our people?
i totally agree!!! If we dont hit back hard they will keep doing this!
I agree with John K. I can not understand why we put up with this kind of behaviour. Eye for an eye and tooth for a tooth. We should retaliate in kind otherwise the Azeris will carry on as they are flouting the cease fire by deploying snipers killing our solders which has the potential of depliting moral amongst our troops. We should give as good as we get.
This incident happened on the eve of their schedule meeting in Astrakhan. I don’t understand why Serge did not cancel the meeting after the news of this death broke. How can you have a peace negotiation when the other side is attacking you?
The only language these turks understand is force. Learn from the Israeli’s, for every one Armenian solider killed we kill 5.
Every time before or after a meeting between Armenia & Azerbajani leaders they send us a message, we should send back a stronger message so they understand.
If you notice the only time most Islamic nations have internal peace is when a brutal dictator is in control, look at Iraq, Turkey, Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia,Afghanistan, all of them dictatorships, this translates to the fact these people only behave when they fear reprisal.
Enough is enough the blood of our young soldiers should not be used as bargaining chips.
Astavac Harut Grigoyani Hokin Losavori
Agree. Truly said.
My sentiments exactly. I say every time this happens NK should liberate more lands from these savages all the way to Baku.
Enough is enough , one time for ever , answer good with good and bulet with bulit ,go ahead and enter in azari,s zone and stay there and then let them to ask for their new lands , then one night attak the baku and finish the resolution .Now let them bring their request to united nation.
People of NK should have done this in 1994. After 1,000 years we still haven’t learned the reality of Turkish culture. Of course the west would not like Azerbaijan in Armenia’s control.
What is so odd about that-a enemy will seek to take us down-forever. We need to get smart and have intel swipe a blow-a big one-that may give them a sore-but a wound for time to heal and remind them-We are strong and not going away- These guys here never publish what I write- I believe in the destruciton of the enemey-gamble with that-and we will get more of the same. we ned to fire big time
What I think is really happening. Armenia was told by Russia not to escalate this. This is why Armenia isn’t responding with its snipers.
I bet Azeris gave Russia some good gas deals.
I said it before ,a premptive strike on the oil pipelines will silence those Azeries , lets be like Israel……..
I am getting sick and tired of these weekly deaths in our Army. Its either the Azeris or Armenians killing one another. At this rate, plus the emigration, plus the low birth rates, our Armenia is destined to crumble. We must act on all fronts and we must act now.
I agree, unleash a couple on them.
Mr. Sargsyan, don’t you have the courage to walk away or not even showing up to these “negotiations”?
Why can’t you leave exchanging POWs to garegin II, since he has such great communication skills with his counterpart the sheik of islam of azerbaijan!
Agree with Frank..
FYI, during war in Martakert ratio was 1 Armenian against 18 Azeri..
Back then. NOW, however the ratio is in azeris favour. Something’s wrong.
learn from the israelis? because their policies have worked???
They sure have – 5 million Israelis have 500 million Muslims around them to their knees with the help of the US. Is that a failure?
Armenia should have a whole brigade of snipers on the front and show the turks how we do things. Why the Armenian Army is playing nice? Playing nice gets you killed in that region. Also when Armenian does something it does it really good so train some of the Army boys how to use snipers on turks and they will get better at it.
WHAT ARE THE ARMENIAN SNIPERS DOING?
Frank,
You are on target. The way Arab/Islamic language understands is force. You remember Sadam Hussein that he ruled with an iron fist. In his days both the Sunnis and Shiiats didn’t kill each other, did they? NO. Because that’s the only language Arab/Islamic people understand. Someone has to rule them with an iron fist, then they respect that. Otherwise, they’ll even kill the ruler. Our side is going by the rules; but when the other side is continuously disrespecting the rules, then what’s the use? Then there is no common language between the parties. The only language the azeris seem to know is the force. Eye for an eye, tooth for a tooth.
I blame the minister of defense, Ohanian. This is the so maniest time and everytime he says “we are going to take measures, we are going to neutralize them and so on”. No good, the “measure” dissappoint me. Lately azeris are doing far better in terms of killing, oh why, not only killing.
Seriously, it’s bad times for armenians, fbi busts a fraud scheme, one gets burned, in russia, anothers hackes gets arrested, we keep counting bodies … damn.
It’s very easy to bark orders for a retaliation when it isn’t your blood being spilled, or your son’s. Don’t sit behind a computer and shout violent reciprocation measures if you’re not the one on the battlefield.
You don’t hear about Azeri casualties because that would be a determent to our cease fire agreement. As long as we publicize Azeri offensives, then they are pressured more as being the ones breaking terms and will be distrusted. Armenian Media is smart in not advertising our patrol groups and the Azeri’s they encounter or imprison.
OK Patrick we hear you. It is also political. It’s just that when we are in here and hearing only from one side (us) being killed all the time; our patriotism and our blood works within us and we become hurt for our own race’s sake – our boys that are being killed continuously – sorry but we just get worried, that’s why. Sometimes, you’ll be darn if you read the news and you’ll be darn if you didn’t. We read the news because we love our soil and our people alike; that’s why we are an interested and concerned people, and that is why we read these news every day to be well informed. As it is, we are not much on earth, thanks to the Armenian Genocide and we start getting worried when we continuously hear the bad news about our sons and our brother being killed trying to peacefully guard our beloved soils.
Concerned Armenian.
Sirvart
Speak only for yourself, don’t use ‘we’.. Just can’t bear it.
So why aren’t you on the battlefield yourself Mr Patrick? You are barking at the barkers, is that supposed to be so much better? Oh I get it let’s not shout orders from behind a computer, because this is all good news for us when Armenians are killed, huh?
And what do you suggest for senior citizens shouting orders from the computer? Shall they pick up their canes and attack the Azeri snipers?
Because Samvel, the pen is mightier than the sword,and if you actually understood my original post, you would come to the conclusion that I am NOT for calling anyone to storm the battlefront. If you’re going to ask for blood, then go enlist and draw blood, I am not asking for blood, hence, why I have not enlisted. I find it more beneficial to make myself successful in life and help the motherland that way, perhaps you should stop asking for blood and concentrate on a profession/career with large monetary benefits to achieve the same.
Samvel:
First, full disclosure: I know Patrick personally.
1) Your argument makes no sense; reason he’s not there is because he is not advocating that “ … we should kill 5 of them for every 1 of us, we should deploy snipers, we must act, we should attack Baku …etc”, take your pick. IF, he was advocating any of that, you’d have an argument. But he isn’t, so you don’t.
2) You seem to imply that Patrick is not of Armenian descent: don’t let his Anglo-Irish name fool you; he’s more proud of his Armenian heritage than most Armenians, and has done more for the cause than most young men in his age group here in the U.S.
Having or not having a traditional Armenian name, or a surname for that matter, means little. Monte Melkonian was born in Fresno, barely spoke Armenian, and did far more for Armenia and Artsakh than most Armenians in Armenia or Artsakh (… and no, I am not comparing anyone here to the immortal Monte)
3) Conversely, having a traditional Armenian name doesn’t make you any more or less ‘Armenian’ than anybody else.
4) As to the senior citizens: no need for them to pick up their canes; they can pick up their pens and checkbooks and write a cheque. Why don’t I do it ? you ask: see below for the answer.
5) I don’t use a cane, may or may not be a senior citizen, but here is what I propose: let’s contribute money to a fund for the slain soldiers and the abducted and murdered civilian Manvel Saribekian. The fund should be specifically for Mr. Saribekian and the soldiers that were killed during the ceasefire. Many of these young men were the sole support for their families, so anything will help. Maybe Asbarez.com can organize it, or ANCA can. I pledge US$1000.00 (one thousand). No joke, No games: ADMIN has my email; they can contact me or post a note on this thread and I’ll contact them. I know money is tight and our people in Armenia have infinite needs. But I would think, it is far less painful not to spend that $100, $50, or $10 on something, than getting shot in the head by an Azeri/Turk sniper or getting abducted, tortured and hanged. How about it guys ?
you know they have my email too, they really should do something for the poor guys family. I’m down helping them and I will have all my friends donate too if I know they will get it. We should get their name and address.
So Avery and Patrick, I realize I came off a little harsh, and I don’t want to imply anyone is less of an Armenian, so for that my apologies. But Patrick’s position was not that clear that’s why I said what I said. I agree with many of your points as well, I agree the pen is mightier than the sword, but I think most of the people crying for retaliation here also agree with that as well. It’s just that because we believe in this, in no way should we be looking the other way with this kind of enemy. I also agree with another poster that It seems these people only understand force. We are not dealing with civilized people, these people are hell-bent on taking more historic Armenian lands as if they haven’t taken enough already. It’s time the gear is reversed the other way. And I do hope this is accomplished by the pen.
I realize that we are all getting frustrated with this kind of news every week, and feel our position and opinions need to be heard. We all know that the situation is getting very dangerous in Artsakh week by week. And I commend you in your financial support, and although I am not that well off financially to make huge donations I pray that I will be in the future to get up to a level which will make a difference.
Take care and I hope we shall meet on better terms on other articles.