OSCE calls on Armenia and Azerbaijan to negotiate

To settle all the outstanding problems, Armenia and Azerbaijan should hold talks, Zbigniew Rau the Chairman of the OSCE (Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe), has suggested.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that Russia had accused Azeri militaries of violating, on March 24 and 25, the agreement on Nagorno-Karabakh by shelling of a unit of the Karabakh Army from Turkish drones. On March 27, the Russian Ministry of Defence (MoD) reported that Azerbaijan had withdrawn its militaries from the territory near the Karabakh village of Furukh (the Azerbaijani name is Farrukh, the Armenian one is Parukh). However, Baku stated that militaries stay in their positions.

"We call on Armenia and Azerbaijan to hold negotiations in good faith in order to reach a solution to all problems," the "Interfax" quoted Mr Rau as saying.

He has expressed hope that progress could be made on humanitarian issues – the release of detainees, exchange of information on missing persons, and demining and protection of historical and cultural sites.

Earlier, Nikol Pashinyan, the Armenian Prime Minister, announced Armenia's readiness to sign a peace treaty with Azerbaijan, the "News Armenia" has reported.