The Co-Chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group Igor Popov of the Russian Federation, James Warlick of the United States of America, and Pierre Andrieu of France called for Azerbaijan and Armenia to accept an mechanism to investigate ceasefire violations, OSCE press-service reported.
The Co-Chairs made this statement at the meeting on 24 September with the Foreign Minister of Armenia Edward Nalbandian, and a separate meeting on 25 September with the Foreign Minister of Azerbaijan Elmar Mammadyarov.
The Personal Representative of the OSCE Chairman-in-Office Ambassador Andrzej Kasprzyk also attended these meetings.
They also met jointly with the two Foreign Ministers to discuss the immediate need to reduce tensions along the line of contact and international border, to advance negotiations on a lasting settlement, and to implement confidence-building measures.
The Ministers agreed to continue preparations with the Co-Chairs on the next presidential summit, which is expected to be held before the end of this year.
The Co-Chairs condemned in strong terms the use of artillery that caused additional casualties. An escalation of situation is not in the interest of Azerbaijan or Armenia.
The Co-Chairs encouraged the sides to implement programs to build trust between societies affected by the conflict.
The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, in 1992 Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts.
The two countries signed a ceasefire agreement in 1994. The co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group, Russia, France and the US are currently holding peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented the UN Security Council’s four resolutions on the liberation of the Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding regions.
Trend