Andrey Sorokin: We hope the proposals to create mechanisms of inquiring into incidents on the Line of Contact will be implemented

 We hope the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs' proposals to create mechanisms of inquiring into incidents on the Line of Contact will be implemented, Andrey Sorokin, the Head of the OSCE Office in Yerevan, told reporters on December 24 addressing the information that the Armenian and Azerbaijani presidents agreed in Bern to work on the above proposals. 

"Armenia has always advocated for creation of such mechanisms and has repeatedly said about this. It was Azerbaijan that constantly torpedoed the process. We hope, the sides will start working in this direction next year," Sorokin said.

As for the upsurge in tensions in the Karabakh conflict zone, Sorokin hopes the tension will be defused and the efforts towards peaceful resolution of the conflict within the OSCE MG and with the support of the mediators will be continued.

The Co-Chairs of OSCE Minsk Group have made a statement after Sargsyan-Aliyev meeting in Bern on Dec 19.  "The President of the Republic of Armenia Serzh Sargsian and the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev held a summit today in Bern under the auspices of 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).  The Personal Representative of the OSCE Chairman-in-Office Ambassador Andrzej Kasprzyk also participated in the summit.  The summit created an opportunity for the Presidents to clarify their respective positions during their one-on- one meeting.  The Presidents discussed recent violence and expressed particular concern about casualties, including civilians, caused by the use of heavy weapons.  The Presidents supported the Co- Chairs' ongoing work on proposals regarding measures to reduce the risk of violence along the Line of Contact and Armenia-Azerbaijan border, including an investigation mechanism.  The Presidents confirmed their readiness to continue engagement on proposals regarding a settlement currently under negotiation.  They also reaffirmed their commitment to the Minsk Group format.  The Co- Chairs remain ready to work with the sides on mediating a peaceful, negotiated settlement to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict," the statement reads.