OSCE Chairman-in-Office, Polish Foreign Minister Zbigniew Rau and OSCE Secretary General Helga Maria Schmid call for an immediate ceasefire following reports of armed clashes on the border between Armenia and Azerbaijan.

"The escalation of hostilities at the border between Armenia and Azerbaijan must cease immediately. The progress achieved so far by following the diplomatic path must not be squandered," Rau said.

According to the statement, progress has been made over the past eighteen months, including an agreement between Armenia and Azerbaijan to continue work on a peace treaty. These clashes jeopardize that progress and put countless lives at risk, the statement said.

"I can only stress that hostilities must stop, not least to avoid further casualties,” said Schmid. “Drawing on decades of experience and expertise, the OSCE stands ready to help. We all share the joint objective of achieving sustainable peace and prosperity in the region.”