OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs call Armenian foreign minister to show more flexibility

The Co-Chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group, Ambassadors Igor Popov of the Russian Federation, James Warlick of the United States of America, and Pierre Andrieu of France have made a statement after meeting with Foreign Minister of Armenia Edward Nalbandian.

As EAD was informed at the OSCE press office, the statement particularly said: “We noted with alarm the rising number of incidents along the Line of Contact and Armenia-Azerbaijan border, including in civilian areas. We also discussed with the Minister proposed measures to reduce the likelihood of such incidents. In particular, it is imperative for the sides to take steps to prevent a repeat of the November 12 helicopter downing.”

As the co-chairs noted, the violence and tensions between the sides underscore the necessity of starting comprehensive negotiations as soon as possible to reach a lasting settlement. “We urged the Minister to show more flexibility so such negotiations can begin,” runs the statement.

The co-chairs also raised the importance of implementing the Armenian and Azerbaijani presidents' agreement now to exchange data on missing persons under the aegis of the ICRC. “This data exchange can build trust between the sides and facilitate the reconciliation process,” believe the co-chairs.

The co-chairs are planning to visit the region later this month.

It is worth mentioning, the situation on the Line of Contact of the Azerbaijani and Karabakh troops and on the Armenian-Azerbaijani border has escalated since the beginning of the year. The sides blame each other of the ceasefire violations and report casualties.