Candadian MP Karygiannis calls on Azerbiajan to respect ceasefire

Candadian MP Karygiannis calls on Azerbiajan to respect ceasefire –

OTTAWA – The Honourable Jim Karygiannis, Liberal Member of Parliament for Scarborough-Agincourt, called on the government of Azerbaijan to ensure that the ceasefire agreement along the Artsakh and Azerbaijan border is respected.

Mr. Karygiannis made a Member’s Statement on February 7 in the House of Commons, which read, in part:

‘Mr. Speaker, I want to express my concerns regarding the frequent ceasefire violations along the border of Nagorno-Karabakh and Azerbaijan. These incidents have resulted in the tragic loss of life. Recently, an Armenian soldier, Armen Hovhannisyan, was shot and killed by Azeri troops.

At present, the envoys of the Minsk Group of countries are visiting the region and these violations serve only to complicate their work. As we are on the eve of a meeting of the foreign affairs ministers of Azerbaijan and Armenia in Paris, it is essential that both sides exercise restraint and control of their militaries to ensure a productive atmosphere for this meeting and for the important work of the Minsk Group.

Canada has always been, and will continue to be, a supporter of peace talks between the parties. The OSCE Minsk Group should be the only venue for the resolution of this conflict. I am asking that we work to ensure that no future aggressive actions, such as the recent one by the Azeri military along the border, take place so that negotiations toward peace can continue constructively.’