COPENHAGEN, 2 April 2016 - Following reports of increased fighting along the Line of Contact in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict zone, OSCE Parliamentary Assembly President Ilkka Kanerva (MP, Finland) and the OSCE PA Special Representative on the South Caucasus, Kristian Vigenin (MP, Bulgaria), today called for an immediate cessation of hostilities. They issued the following joint statement:

"This fighting must stop. The Nagorno Karabakh conflict has taken far too many lives for far too many years now. We call on all sides to immediately cease fire and to exercise maximum restraint to avoid any further escalations."

The President and Special Representative reiterated their full support for the OSCE Minsk Group and their efforts to find a peaceful solution.