Secretary-General Urges End to Nagorno-Karabakh Ceasefire Violations

The following statement was issued today by the Spokesman for UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon:

The Secretary-General is deeply disturbed by the recent reports of large-scale ceasefire violations along the line of contact in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict zone.  He is particularly concerned by the reported use of heavy weapons and by the large numbers of casualties, including among the civilian population.

The Secretary-General urges all relevant parties to put an immediate end to the fighting, fully respect the ceasefire agreement and take urgent steps to de-escalate the situation.

The Secretary-General reiterates his full support for the efforts of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe Minsk Group and all parties working to resolve this dangerous situation and pursue a peaceful negotiated settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.