Karabakh conflict on the agenda of OSCE Chairperson,Minsk Group Co-Chairs

The OSCE Chairperson-in-Office, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Leonid Kozhara, discussed the progress towards settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict at meeting the Co-Chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group, Ambassadors Igor Popov of the Russian Federation, Jacques Faure of France, and Ian Kelly of the United States as well as the Personal Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office, Ambassador Andrzej Kasprzyk, the organization's press service reported.

The talks focused on the Co-Chairs' meeting last week in Paris with the foreign ministers of Azerbaijan and Armenia, where they discussed a proposal to advance the peace process they had submitted to the sides late last year and views on possible confidence building measures.

Minister Kozhara expressed full support to the efforts of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs aimed at strengthening the ceasefire and helping the sides negotiate a peaceful settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

"It is a priority of Ukraine's OSCE Chairmanship to work with the parties to advance this process to the extent possible, and I urge the sides to show the commitment and political will needed to finally bring peace to this region" OSCE Chairperson said.

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 peace negotiations.

Armenia has not yet implemented the U.N. Security Council's four resolutions on the liberation of the Nagorno-Karabakh and surrounding regions.



/Trend/