To prevent the shelling and incidents on the Line of Contact in Karabakh and Armenian-Azerbaijani border, it’s necessary to set up a permanent observers’ group under the auspices of the OSCE, Russian political analyst Alexander Skakov told Armenian News – NEWS.am.

Touching on the recent shelling from the Azerbaijani side, the political analyst noted that such incidents will constantly continue unless certain mechanisms are found for their prevention.   “Two of such mechanisms are possible here: the first mechanism, which is actually realistic now, is the creation of a permanent observers’ group under the auspices of the OSCE, while the second one, which demands very large and serous work, is the bringing of peacekeeping forces in the region,” Skakov stressed. 

If the mechanisms work one after another, he continued, there will no longer be such incidents. “If there are observers, it will be quite apparent who launched the firing: any simulations and accusations against the innocent will become impossible, and we will already demand the responsibility of the international community so that the initiator of the shelling stops doing that. In that case sanctions will be applied against the aggressor. If this doesn’t help either, then the peacekeeping forces will be brought and in case of shelling, other measures of military nature will be applied,” Skakov added.

The Azerbaijani side constantly turns down the calls to create mechanisms for the investigation of incidents on the Line of Contact.

The Azerbaijani Armed Forces intensively shelled the Armenian positions all along the Armenian-Azerbaijani border and the Line of Contact today, destabilizing the situation ahead of the Christian holidays and ignoring the calls of the international organizations. At the same time, the adversary opened fire at the villages. Consequently, a 64-year-old resident of Berkaber village in Armenia’s Tavush province, Norik Alikhanyan, sustained a gunshot wound, also, great damage was caused to the house of another Armenian citizen.