OSCE MG co-chairs, Belarusian FM discuss Karabakh conflict

By Azernews

By Rashid Shirinov

The co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group and Foreign Minister of Belarus Vladimir Makei discussed the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, the Belarusian Foreign Ministry informed on June 27.

Makei met with the MG co-chair from France Stephane Visconti, from Russia Igor Popov, form the U.S. Andrew Schofer, as well as the Personal Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office, Ambassador Andrzej Kasprzyk.

“The co-chairs and Kasprzyk informed the minister about the situation in the conflict zone and their efforts on the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict,” the Ministry said in a message.

During the meeting, the sides also discussed topical issues of the OSCE MG and the possible contribution of Belarus to the process of peaceful settlement of the conflict.

Azerbaijan and Armenia fought a lengthy war that ended with signing of a fragile ceasefire in 1994. Since the war, 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.

Until now, Armenia ignores four UN Security Council resolutions on immediate withdrawal from the occupied territory of Azerbaijan, thus keeping tension high in the region.

Since the 1990s, the OSCE Minsk Group has been working to find a peaceful solution to the Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict. While the MG acts as the only mediator in resolution of the conflict, it failed to achieve a breakthrough in the peace process so far.