STEPANAKERT-BAKU-YEREVAN (Combined Sources)–Azerbaijan Thursday thwarted an attempt by the OSCE to conduct an official monitoring of the border where on Monday Azeri forces staged an incursion into the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic and severely violated the cease-fire.
The Office of the Personal Representative of the OSCE Chairman-in-Office addressed a letter to the Karabakh foreign ministry announcing the postponement of the mission, since Azerbaijan failed to take steps to guarantee the security of the OSCE monitoring group.
The crisis monitoring was to take place at the request of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic Foreign Ministry, which expressed willingness to assist in the organization of the mission and take steps to ensure all security guarantees for the mission.
In a related matter, Turkish media are reporting that Turkey is bracing for a joint military operation with Azerbaijan in Nagorno Karabakh “for a comprehensive military operation in Nagorno Karabakh against members of the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) who were forced out from northern Iraq by the Turkish Army,” reported the Azeri Yeni Musavat newspaper.
According to the article "even the US approved such a move." The article added that joint Turkish-Azeri headquarter already had been established.
Meanwhile, the Russian Foreign Ministry urged Armenia and Azerbaijan Thursday to restore the status quo and end military skirmished along the Karabakh border.
Visiting US Assistant Secretary of State and the US Co-chairman of the OSCE Minsk Group Matthew Bryza told the Associated Press that Armenian and Azerbaijani leaders assured him that they are committed to maintaining the shaky truce. "Based on everyone I have talked to it is clear that the shooting has stopped and the level of tension is decreasing," he said.
Casey stated at a briefing in Washington that the “US expresses regret on the occasion of the violation of ceasefire regime in the contact zone of the sides conflicting over Nagorno Karabakh. We have expressed our concerns to the sides through U.S. Assistant State Secretary Matthew Bryza.”
He added that the conflicting sides must avoid using the force and understand the necessity of the joint work with the OSCE Minsk Group for finding diplomatic solution to the conflict.
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