The Armenian shooting of 3 Azerbaijani soldiers yesterday was deplorable, but the Azerbaijani response today seems to be disproportionate ignoring the announcement by the Armenian Ministry of Defense that this incident will be fully investigated. Josep Borrell, the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy said during the joint press conference with Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan, addressing on the last provocation of the Azerbaijani Armed Forces in the direction of the Armenian positions located in the Nerkin Hand village sector in Syunik Province of Armenia, in the result of which the Armenian side has four casualties and one wounded.

“It illustrates again the urgent need for the distancing of forces which is something that the European Union has been advocating for a long time. I have to reiterate European Union full commitment to supporting a sustainable and lasting peace based on the principle of recognition of sovereignty, the unviability of borders and territorial integrity. The European Union Mission in Armenia has recently been reinforced with a stronger and bigger number of staff and will continue to contribute to ensuring an environment conductive to normalization efforts”, the head of the European diplomacy said.