OSCE MG: Respect for ceasefire necessary for further talks on Karabakh conflict

By Azernews

By Rashid Shirinov

The OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs, tasked in mediation of the peace talks over the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, reiterated their deep concern over recent incidents along the line of contact, and call on the sides to exercise restraint in their rhetoric and in their actions.

The OSCE Minsk Group visited recently the conflict region to get acquainted with the real situation on the ground.

During the visit, Ambassadors Igor Popov of Russia, Stephane Visconti of France and Richard Hoagland of the U.S., together with Personal Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office, Ambassador Andrzej Kasprzyk, have traveled to Baku (March 11), Yerevan (March 27) and Nagorno-Karabakh (March 28).

The co-chairs met with the presidents and foreign ministers of Azerbaijan and Armenia and also visited territories around Nagorno-Karabakh.

"The presidents laid out their positions on the co-chairs’ proposals to strengthen the ceasefire and to avoid further escalation of hostilities, particularly in light of the Novruz and Easter holidays. They expressed their commitment to continuing the negotiation process toward a political solution," the co-chairs said in their statement issued on March 29 on the results of the visit. 

However, the real negotiation process is impossible without face-to-face meetings of the presidents. Despite the proposals of the Minsk Group and the readiness of Azerbaijan to comprehensive negotiations, the Armenian side avoids meetings. Meanwhile the protracted Armenian-Azerbaijani Nagorno-Karabakh conflict remains the hot spot of the region of South Caucasus.

At the meetings, the co-chairs emphasized that respect for ceasefire is of utmost importance for building an atmosphere of trust to enable further negotiations on the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

However, the Armenian side constantly breaches the ceasefire and resorts to attempts of sabotage against Azerbaijan. Moreover, Armenia now and then conducts military exercises in the occupied lands of Azerbaijan, which is contrary to the agreements reached between the presidents in 2016.

The main purpose of their visits to the region was to receive the most current detailed political and military information on the line of contact and the Armenia-Azerbaijan border, to discuss the implementation of agreements reached at 2016 summits in Vienna and St. Petersburg and to address the next steps toward a settlement.

The OSCE Minsk Group also stressed in the statement the essential importance of continued support for Ambassador Kasprzyk’s mission and its expansion.

The co-chairs will soon travel to Vienna to brief the members of the Minsk Group on the situation.