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OSCE MINSK GROUP CO-CHAIRMEN REAFFIRM COMMITMENT TO PEACEFUL SETTLEMENT OF NK CONFLICT
Trend
July 13 2012
Azerbaijan
The Co-Chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group (Ambassadors Robert Bradtke
of the United States, Igor Popov of the Russian Federation, and
Jacques Faure of France) and Ambassador Andrzej Kasprzyk (Personal
Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office) traveled July 10-13
to Baku, Nagorno-Karabakh, and Yerevan, OSCE told Trend today.
In Baku, the Co-Chairs met with President Aliyev and Foreign Minister
Mammadyarov; in Nagorno-Karabakh they met with de facto authorities; in
Yerevan, they met with President Sargsian, Foreign Minister Nalbandian,
and Defense Minister Ohanyan.
On July 11, the Co-Chairs again crossed the Line of Contact by foot.
On July 12, they traveled from Nagorno-Karabakh to Yerevan via
Kelbajar, their first visit to that region since the October 2010 Field
Assessment Mission. In all their meetings, the Co-Chairs reaffirmed
their countries' resolute commitment to a peaceful settlement of the
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, as the Presidents of the three Co-Chair
countries emphasized in their June 18 joint statement at Los Cabos.
The Co-Chairs continued discussions from their June 18 meeting
in Paris with the Foreign Ministers of Armenia and Azerbaijan. The
Co-Chairs expressed their deep concern over recent incidents along the
frontlines, and reiterated that the sides' political will to achieve
peace is best demonstrated by refraining from maximalist positions,
respecting the 1994 ceasefire agreement, and abstaining from hostile
public rhetoric.
Regarding reports of the planned opening of an airport in
Nagorno-Karabakh, the Co-Chairs received renewed assurances from the
sides that they will reject any threat or use of force against civil
aircraft, pursue the matter through diplomatic steps, and refrain from
politicizing the issue. The Co-Chairs reaffirmed that operation of this
airport cannot be used to support any claim of a change in the status
of Nagorno-Karabakh, and urged the sides to act in accordance with
international law and consistent with current practice for flights
over their territory.
The Co-Chairs plan to meet again separately with the Foreign Ministers
of Armenia and Azerbaijan in order to prepare for a joint meeting of
the Ministers in September.
The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988
when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. Armenian
armed forces have occupied 20 per cent of Azerbaijan since 1992,
including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven 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
July 13 2012
Azerbaijan
The Co-Chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group (Ambassadors Robert Bradtke
of the United States, Igor Popov of the Russian Federation, and
Jacques Faure of France) and Ambassador Andrzej Kasprzyk (Personal
Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office) traveled July 10-13
to Baku, Nagorno-Karabakh, and Yerevan, OSCE told Trend today.
In Baku, the Co-Chairs met with President Aliyev and Foreign Minister
Mammadyarov; in Nagorno-Karabakh they met with de facto authorities; in
Yerevan, they met with President Sargsian, Foreign Minister Nalbandian,
and Defense Minister Ohanyan.
On July 11, the Co-Chairs again crossed the Line of Contact by foot.
On July 12, they traveled from Nagorno-Karabakh to Yerevan via
Kelbajar, their first visit to that region since the October 2010 Field
Assessment Mission. In all their meetings, the Co-Chairs reaffirmed
their countries' resolute commitment to a peaceful settlement of the
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, as the Presidents of the three Co-Chair
countries emphasized in their June 18 joint statement at Los Cabos.
The Co-Chairs continued discussions from their June 18 meeting
in Paris with the Foreign Ministers of Armenia and Azerbaijan. The
Co-Chairs expressed their deep concern over recent incidents along the
frontlines, and reiterated that the sides' political will to achieve
peace is best demonstrated by refraining from maximalist positions,
respecting the 1994 ceasefire agreement, and abstaining from hostile
public rhetoric.
Regarding reports of the planned opening of an airport in
Nagorno-Karabakh, the Co-Chairs received renewed assurances from the
sides that they will reject any threat or use of force against civil
aircraft, pursue the matter through diplomatic steps, and refrain from
politicizing the issue. The Co-Chairs reaffirmed that operation of this
airport cannot be used to support any claim of a change in the status
of Nagorno-Karabakh, and urged the sides to act in accordance with
international law and consistent with current practice for flights
over their territory.
The Co-Chairs plan to meet again separately with the Foreign Ministers
of Armenia and Azerbaijan in order to prepare for a joint meeting of
the Ministers in September.
The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988
when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. Armenian
armed forces have occupied 20 per cent of Azerbaijan since 1992,
including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven 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.