Tweet
OSCE MG RENEWS CALL FOR PEACEFUL SETTLEMENT OF NAGORNO-KARABAKH CONFLICT
AzerNews, Azerbaijan
May 12 2014
12 May 2014, 12:10 (GMT+05:00)
By Sara Rajabova
The OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs have issued a statement on the 20th
anniversary of the 1994 ceasefire agreement signed between Azerbaijan
and Armenia.
The co-chairs invited the people of the region to reflect upon the
legacy of the past two decades, the OSCE said.
"That agreement brought an end to the outright war, halted the tragic
violence of previous years, and laid the groundwork for negotiations
that offered the sides a path to peace. Thanks to the resulting truce,
a new generation of Armenians and Azerbaijanis grew up without
experiencing the horrors of war. The sides should do everything
possible to protect future generations from such experience", the
statement said.
The co-chairs said the ceasefire agreement has not yet resolved the
underlying conflict.
"It left occupied the territories surrounding Nagorno-Karabakh. The
absence of a final settlement has resulted in the ongoing displacement
of hundreds of thousands of people, the perpetual threat of escalating
violence along the international border and the Line of Contact, and
a misconception in some quarters that the status quo can be sustained
indefinitely", the statement said.
The co-chairs noted that the sides have shown little willingness
to take advantage of the opportunities offered by the co-chairing
countries or make the political decisions necessary for progress in
the peace process.
"We share a common position on this conflict, and remain firmly
committed to helping the sides reach a peaceful settlement as soon
as possible based on the core principles of the UN Charter and the
Helsinki Final Act, particularly those pertaining to the non-use of
force, territorial integrity, and equal rights and self-determination
of peoples," the co-chairs said.
It is noted in the statement that a settlement will have to
include the elements outlined by the presidents of the co-chair
countries in statements from 2009 to 2013, which include the return
of the territories surrounding Nagorno-Karabakh, interim status
for Nagorno-Karabakh guaranteeing security and self-governance,
a corridor linking Armenia to Nagorno-Karabakh, final status of
Nagorno-Karabakh to be determined in the future by a legally-binding
expression of will, the right of all internally-displaced persons and
refugees to return, and international security guarantees, including
a peacekeeping operation.
"In November we saw a promising renewal of dialogue at the highest
levels. We call on the sides to enter into constructive negotiations
resulting in a peace agreement based on these elements in order to
bring about a lasting settlement to the conflict. Such a settlement
will not be possible without a basis of trust and understanding
between the Armenian and Azerbaijani people. We call on the sides to
involve people in programs and security confidence building measures to
reinforce the peace process. Armenians and Azerbaijanis deserve to live
in peace and security, and we stand ready to help. The sides must take
the necessary steps towards peace. These steps would be fully supported
by the OSCE and the international community," the statement said.
The precarious cease-fire between Azerbaijan and Armenia was reached
after a lengthy war that displaced over a million Azerbaijanis and
has been in place between the two South Caucasus countries since 1994.
Since the hostilities, Armenian armed forces have occupied over
20 percent of Azerbaijan's internationally recognized territory,
including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts.
The UN Security Council has adopted four resolutions calling on
Armenia's withdrawal from the Azerbaijani territory, but they have
not been enforced to this day.
Peace talks, mediated by Russia, France and the U.S. through the OSCE
Minsk Group, are underway on the basis of a peace outline proposed
by the Minsk Group co-chairs dubbed the Madrid Principles. The
negotiations have been largely fruitless so far.
AzerNews, Azerbaijan
May 12 2014
12 May 2014, 12:10 (GMT+05:00)
By Sara Rajabova
The OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs have issued a statement on the 20th
anniversary of the 1994 ceasefire agreement signed between Azerbaijan
and Armenia.
The co-chairs invited the people of the region to reflect upon the
legacy of the past two decades, the OSCE said.
"That agreement brought an end to the outright war, halted the tragic
violence of previous years, and laid the groundwork for negotiations
that offered the sides a path to peace. Thanks to the resulting truce,
a new generation of Armenians and Azerbaijanis grew up without
experiencing the horrors of war. The sides should do everything
possible to protect future generations from such experience", the
statement said.
The co-chairs said the ceasefire agreement has not yet resolved the
underlying conflict.
"It left occupied the territories surrounding Nagorno-Karabakh. The
absence of a final settlement has resulted in the ongoing displacement
of hundreds of thousands of people, the perpetual threat of escalating
violence along the international border and the Line of Contact, and
a misconception in some quarters that the status quo can be sustained
indefinitely", the statement said.
The co-chairs noted that the sides have shown little willingness
to take advantage of the opportunities offered by the co-chairing
countries or make the political decisions necessary for progress in
the peace process.
"We share a common position on this conflict, and remain firmly
committed to helping the sides reach a peaceful settlement as soon
as possible based on the core principles of the UN Charter and the
Helsinki Final Act, particularly those pertaining to the non-use of
force, territorial integrity, and equal rights and self-determination
of peoples," the co-chairs said.
It is noted in the statement that a settlement will have to
include the elements outlined by the presidents of the co-chair
countries in statements from 2009 to 2013, which include the return
of the territories surrounding Nagorno-Karabakh, interim status
for Nagorno-Karabakh guaranteeing security and self-governance,
a corridor linking Armenia to Nagorno-Karabakh, final status of
Nagorno-Karabakh to be determined in the future by a legally-binding
expression of will, the right of all internally-displaced persons and
refugees to return, and international security guarantees, including
a peacekeeping operation.
"In November we saw a promising renewal of dialogue at the highest
levels. We call on the sides to enter into constructive negotiations
resulting in a peace agreement based on these elements in order to
bring about a lasting settlement to the conflict. Such a settlement
will not be possible without a basis of trust and understanding
between the Armenian and Azerbaijani people. We call on the sides to
involve people in programs and security confidence building measures to
reinforce the peace process. Armenians and Azerbaijanis deserve to live
in peace and security, and we stand ready to help. The sides must take
the necessary steps towards peace. These steps would be fully supported
by the OSCE and the international community," the statement said.
The precarious cease-fire between Azerbaijan and Armenia was reached
after a lengthy war that displaced over a million Azerbaijanis and
has been in place between the two South Caucasus countries since 1994.
Since the hostilities, Armenian armed forces have occupied over
20 percent of Azerbaijan's internationally recognized territory,
including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts.
The UN Security Council has adopted four resolutions calling on
Armenia's withdrawal from the Azerbaijani territory, but they have
not been enforced to this day.
Peace talks, mediated by Russia, France and the U.S. through the OSCE
Minsk Group, are underway on the basis of a peace outline proposed
by the Minsk Group co-chairs dubbed the Madrid Principles. The
negotiations have been largely fruitless so far.