Armenian and Azerbaijani soucres are reporting incidents on the line of contact in the Karabakh conflict zone early on Wednesday morning (22 July). Both sides also claim that heavy weapons were used by their opponents.
The Azerbaijani News Agency APA, quoting Azerbaijani Defence Ministry sources, said that Armenian forces violated the ceasefire 111 times in the last twenty four hours using large-caliber machine guns and 60mm mortars. Incidents were reported in various locations along the line of contact.
On their part Armenian sources also confirm that incidents are taking place, accusing Azerbaijan of violating the cease fire using different types of rifle weaponry, grenade launchers and mine throwers. The Armenian web portal news.am quoted sources in the Defence Ministry of the sef-declared Nagorno-Karabakh Republic as saying that the situation was "not calm" and that the incidents were ongoing.
Commonspace.eu political editor said that the incidents occur as efforts to re-start negotiations on bringing an end to the conflict appear stalled. Diplomats from France, Russia and the United States are expected to meet in Vienna this week to discuss how to move forward with the different ideas currently on the table, and there are signs that Russia is interested in once more taking the lead in the process. So far however no time table for the negotiations has been agreed and no date has as yet been fixed for the long awaited meeting between the presidents of Armenia and Azerbaijan, with the mediators suggesting that the meeting "may take place this year".
source: commonspace.eu with agencies
