OSCE monitors frontline of Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict

The OSCE’s monitoring of the Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict’s frontline due to ceasefire violations reflects their proactive approach to seeking a resolution between these two countries. Ilkka Kanerva, president of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly, noted that this activity shows, "There is a need for more, not fewer, OSCE field presences, with multi-year budgets and mandates. As an example, I and many of my colleagues urge the reopening of OSCE missions in both Azerbaijan and Georgia.”

This resurgence of violence took place just a day after Armenian soldier Andranik Grigoryan, who was captured by Azerbaijani forces after crossing the frontline on Mar. 22, 2015, was returned on Nov. 18, 2015. This release was negotiated by the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), of which representatives had visited him regularly during his imprisonment. ICRC was able to monitor the conditions in which he was held captive and to facilitate communication with his family. He commented that he was returning of his own will.

It was an international effort by the OSCE to monitor the frontline on Nov. 19.  Field assistants who observed from the Armenia border included OSCE Chairman-in-Office Yevgeny Sharov from Ukraine, OSCE High-Level Planning Group member Colonel Andrey Baashkin from Russia and Khristo Kristov from Bulgaria. Observers from the Azerbaijan border included Personal Representative of the OSCE Chairman-in-Office Jiri Aberle from the Czech Republic, OSCE High-Level Planning Group Lieutenant-Colonel Dan Harvey from Ireland and a staff member of the office, Peter Svedberg from Sweden.