YEREVAN. – Azerbaijan uses the diversion operations at the Armenian-Azerbaijani border as a military diplomacy for a long time, Armenian Center for National and International Studies Director Manvel Sargsyan told Armenian News-NEWS.am, commenting on the recent such operation, which claimed the lives of three Armenian soldiers and wounded six others.  

“Azerbaijan is attempting to create situations and raise issues before the international community. It continues its diplomatic line of resolving the [Karabakh] issue in its favor by way of the international community,” Sargsyan said. 

In his words, the international community reacts very softly to such conduct by Azerbaijan, and, what is more, some international community representatives themselves contribute to this, perceiving it as a lever for applying pressure on Armenia. 

“Armenia must adopt a stance which would make these operations work against Azerbaijan. The approach which Armenia has adopted[, that is,] solely retaliatory operations, somewhat contributes to such steps,” concluded Manvel Sargsyan.   

As Armenian News-NEWS.am informed earlier, the MOD issued a statement and noted that on Monday and according to preliminary data, the Azerbaijani side yet again violated the ceasefire at the line of contact between the Armenian-Azerbaijani border, and this time in the northeastern sector. It attempted to infiltrate to the Armenian military bases stationed in the direction of Berdavan and Chinari villages of the Tavush Region.   

As a result of the taken measures and the Armenian military servicemen’s courageous operations, however, the diversion advancement was stopped, and the adversary was driven back, giving casualties.  

But because of the Azerbaijani operation, Armenian military servicemen Hrach Sargsyan, Zohrab Balabekyan, and Karen Davtyan were killed. There are wounded, too. 

An investigation is launched.

To note, US Secretary of State Hilary Clinton is commencing her tour to the region on Monday.