YEREVAN. – Baku has the illusion that it can negotiate with arms.

The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Armenia, Edward Nalbandian, on Friday stated the aforesaid responding to RFE/RL Armenian Service’s request to comment on Azerbaijan’s most recent flagrant violations of the ceasefire ahead of Saturday’s meeting of the presidents of Armenia and Azerbaijan.

“We strongly condemn Baku’s unprecedented aggravation of the situation on the line of contact with Artsakh [i.e. Nagorno-Karabakh], [and] which caused numerous human casualties,” Nalbandian stressed. “The increase in tension in the [Karabakh] conflict zone as a result of Azerbaijan’s provocations before each high-level meeting has become a habit. (…) Azerbaijan resorts to new adventurism. With such actions, Baku is attempting to divert the negotiation process.

“In this situation, concrete steps aimed at reducing tension have become imperative. (…) We expect that the [OSCE Minsk Group] Co-Chair countries [i.e. US, Russia, and France] will take practical steps in this direction.”