TODAY.AZ / Politics

MG U.S. co-chair: Improved plan on settlement of Nagorno-Karabakh conflict put on negotiation table

28 March 2017 [14:20] - TODAY.AZ

By Azernews


By Rashid Shirinov

An improved version of the previous plans on peaceful settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict has been put on the negotiation table, U.S. Co-Chair of the OSCE Minsk Group Richard Hoagland said at a press conference in Yerevan on March 27.

“There have been different plans during years and the one currently put on the table is the improved and amended version of the previous plans,” he noted.

Hoagland added that he cannot disclose the details of the plan since the conflicting sides have still to work on some specific points. “...Some of its points may need amendments. That is why we do not speak about all the details in advance,” the diplomat said.

Responding to accusations that the Minsk Group often fails to issue targeted statements, Hoagland said: “I assure we do know what is going on, but because we are mediators, we have to keep a little degree of distance so that we do not overtly offend one side or the other side. When that happens, the possibility for discussion and mediation gets closed down.”

“We’ll always note when there is an issue that needs to be called attention to, but we have to be a little careful of what we say in public, even though we know what’s really happening behind closed doors,” Hoagland added.

He also announced the upcoming meeting of Azerbaijani and Armenian foreign ministers.

“The foreign ministers of Azerbaijan and Armenia will meet in Moscow in the near future to organize a meeting of the two countries’ presidents,” Hoagland said.

He added that some work is being done for the creation of appropriate conditions for the meeting of the Azerbaijani and Armenian presidents.

Armenia broke out a lengthy war against Azerbaijan laying territorial claims on its South Caucasus neighbor. Since a war in the early 1990s, Armenian armed forces have occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan's territory, including Nagorno-Karabakh and seven surrounding regions. More than 20,000 Azerbaijanis were killed and over 1 million were displaced as a result of the large-scale hostilities.

Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on withdrawal of its armed forces from the Nagorno-Karabakh and surrounding districts.

URL: http://www.today.az/news/politics/159770.html

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