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OSCE MINSK GROUP COUNTRIES COMMITTED TO ACHIEVING THE SETTLEMENT OF THE NAGORNO-KARABAKH CONFLICT
Trend
Nov 30 2011
Azerbaijan
The Co-Chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group (Ambassadors Bernard Fassier
of France, Robert Bradtke of the United States, and Igor Popov of
the Russian Federation) and Ambassador Andrzej Kasprzyk (Personal
Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office) traveled November
28-30 to Yerevan and Baku, says the statement of OSCE published on
the website of the organization.
The Co-Chairs were accompanied by Ambassador Jacques Faure, who will
succeed Ambassador Fassier as the French Co-Chair of the Minsk Group.
In Yerevan the Co-Chairs met with President Serzh Sargsian, Foreign
Minister Edvard Nalbandian, and Defense Minister Seyran Ohanyan;
in Baku they met with President Ilham Aliyev, Foreign Minister Elmar
Mammadyarov, and Defense Minister Safar Abiyev. In all these meetings,
the Co-Chairs reaffirmed the strong commitment of their countries to
assisting the sides in achieving a lasting and peaceful settlement
of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.
Noting recent reports of incidents along the Line of Contact,
the Co-Chairs stressed again to the Presidents the importance of
respecting the 1994 ceasefire agreement, said in press-release.
"They reiterated that such incidents demonstrate the need to implement
the proposed mechanism to investigate incidents along the front-lines,
on which the Presidents have agreed in principle. The Co-Chairs
also discussed additional measures for enhancing confidence through
people-to-people exchanges and efforts to preserve places of worship,
cultural sites, and cemeteries", - said in the statement.
On November 29, the Co-Chairs crossed the border between Armenia
and Azerbaijan by foot, and met on each side with local officials
to discuss the situation in the border region. On November 30, the
Co-Chairs met with representatives of Nagorno-Karabakh Azerbaijanis,
and underscored that a peaceful settlement must include the right
of all internally displaced persons and refugees to return to their
former places of residence.
Looking ahead to the December OSCE Ministerial Council meeting in
Vilnius, the Co-Chairs urged the sides to use this opportunity to
reaffirm their commitment to seeking a peaceful settlement and moving
beyond the unacceptable status quo, said in the statement.
The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988
when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. Armenian
armed forces have occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan since 1992,
including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and 7 surrounding districts.
Azerbaijan and Armenia signed a ceasefire agreement in 1994.
The co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group - Russia, France, and the U.S. -
are currently holding the peace negotiations.
Armenia has not yet implemented the U.N. Security Council's four
resolutions on the liberation of the Nagorno-Karabakh and the
surrounding regions.
Trend
Nov 30 2011
Azerbaijan
The Co-Chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group (Ambassadors Bernard Fassier
of France, Robert Bradtke of the United States, and Igor Popov of
the Russian Federation) and Ambassador Andrzej Kasprzyk (Personal
Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office) traveled November
28-30 to Yerevan and Baku, says the statement of OSCE published on
the website of the organization.
The Co-Chairs were accompanied by Ambassador Jacques Faure, who will
succeed Ambassador Fassier as the French Co-Chair of the Minsk Group.
In Yerevan the Co-Chairs met with President Serzh Sargsian, Foreign
Minister Edvard Nalbandian, and Defense Minister Seyran Ohanyan;
in Baku they met with President Ilham Aliyev, Foreign Minister Elmar
Mammadyarov, and Defense Minister Safar Abiyev. In all these meetings,
the Co-Chairs reaffirmed the strong commitment of their countries to
assisting the sides in achieving a lasting and peaceful settlement
of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.
Noting recent reports of incidents along the Line of Contact,
the Co-Chairs stressed again to the Presidents the importance of
respecting the 1994 ceasefire agreement, said in press-release.
"They reiterated that such incidents demonstrate the need to implement
the proposed mechanism to investigate incidents along the front-lines,
on which the Presidents have agreed in principle. The Co-Chairs
also discussed additional measures for enhancing confidence through
people-to-people exchanges and efforts to preserve places of worship,
cultural sites, and cemeteries", - said in the statement.
On November 29, the Co-Chairs crossed the border between Armenia
and Azerbaijan by foot, and met on each side with local officials
to discuss the situation in the border region. On November 30, the
Co-Chairs met with representatives of Nagorno-Karabakh Azerbaijanis,
and underscored that a peaceful settlement must include the right
of all internally displaced persons and refugees to return to their
former places of residence.
Looking ahead to the December OSCE Ministerial Council meeting in
Vilnius, the Co-Chairs urged the sides to use this opportunity to
reaffirm their commitment to seeking a peaceful settlement and moving
beyond the unacceptable status quo, said in the statement.
The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988
when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. Armenian
armed forces have occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan since 1992,
including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and 7 surrounding districts.
Azerbaijan and Armenia signed a ceasefire agreement in 1994.
The co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group - Russia, France, and the U.S. -
are currently holding the peace negotiations.
Armenia has not yet implemented the U.N. Security Council's four
resolutions on the liberation of the Nagorno-Karabakh and the
surrounding regions.