2005: ACTION HOT ON LINE OF CONTACT

C O N F I D E N T I A L YEREVAN 002238 SIPDIS DEPT FOR EUR/SNEC, EUR/CACEN E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/29/2015 TAGS: PBTS PREL PGOV AJ AM SUBJECT: 2005: ACTION HOT ON LINE OF CONTACT REF: A) YEREVAN 2182 B) YEREVAN 1717 Classified By: CDA A.F. Godfrey for reasons 1.4 (b,d). (C) Barring additional violence along the line of contact between ethnic Armenian and Azerbaijan forces in the Nagorno-Karabakh region, the Armenian Ministry of Defense plans to report a total of 273 cease-fire violations for calendar year 2005. The cease-fire violations, according to MOD Foreign Relations and Military Cooperation Deputy Chief Colonel Armen Zakaryan, resulted in 14 Armenian deaths and 22 Armenians wounded, roughly matching press reports we have compiled throughout the year. Zakaryan said that 9 of the deaths and 16 of the wounded occurred in N-K. Although accusations of responsibility and casualty figures vary according to sources, casualties -- including deaths -- on both sides of the line of contact continue. Zakaryan told us December 29, that Minister of Defense Serzh Sargsyan personally approved the release of the numbers, which will take place in early 2006. GODFREY