STATEMENT OF THE OSCE MINSK GROUP CO-CHAIRS
AZG DAILY
27-10-2011
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 October
21-24 to Yerevan, Nagorno-Karabakh, and Baku. The Co-Chairs met with
Presidents Sargsian and Aliyev, and with the de facto authorities
in Nagorno-Karabakh.
The Co-Chairs stressed to the sides the need to improve significantly
the atmosphere of negotiations, increase trust, and strengthen
implementation of the ceasefire to allow further progress toward
reaching a peaceful settlement. The Co-Chairs offered several proposals
for measures to enhance confidence in different fields. The sides
agreed in principle on the draft mechanism to investigate incidents
along the front lines that the Co-Chairs proposed in April, and which
Presidents Aliyev, Sargsian, and Medvedev agreed to pursue in their
March joint statement in Sochi.
The Co-Chairs also met separately with His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme
Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians, and with Sheykhulislam
Allahshukur Pashazade, Grand Mufti and Chairman of the Caucasus Muslim
Board, to discuss the necessity of preparing the populations for a
just, lasting, and peaceful settlement.
On October 22, the Co-Chairs crossed the Line of Contact by foot for
the fourth time in the past fourteen months. This crossing highlighted
again that the Line is not a permanent barrier between neighboring
peoples, and demonstrated that military coordination is possible when
all the sides are willing.
The Co-Chairs will return to the region in late November to continue
their work with the sides to develop the measures described above and
to determine next steps to pave the way for future meetings between
the sides.
AZG DAILY
27-10-2011
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 October
21-24 to Yerevan, Nagorno-Karabakh, and Baku. The Co-Chairs met with
Presidents Sargsian and Aliyev, and with the de facto authorities
in Nagorno-Karabakh.
The Co-Chairs stressed to the sides the need to improve significantly
the atmosphere of negotiations, increase trust, and strengthen
implementation of the ceasefire to allow further progress toward
reaching a peaceful settlement. The Co-Chairs offered several proposals
for measures to enhance confidence in different fields. The sides
agreed in principle on the draft mechanism to investigate incidents
along the front lines that the Co-Chairs proposed in April, and which
Presidents Aliyev, Sargsian, and Medvedev agreed to pursue in their
March joint statement in Sochi.
The Co-Chairs also met separately with His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme
Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians, and with Sheykhulislam
Allahshukur Pashazade, Grand Mufti and Chairman of the Caucasus Muslim
Board, to discuss the necessity of preparing the populations for a
just, lasting, and peaceful settlement.
On October 22, the Co-Chairs crossed the Line of Contact by foot for
the fourth time in the past fourteen months. This crossing highlighted
again that the Line is not a permanent barrier between neighboring
peoples, and demonstrated that military coordination is possible when
all the sides are willing.
The Co-Chairs will return to the region in late November to continue
their work with the sides to develop the measures described above and
to determine next steps to pave the way for future meetings between
the sides.