OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs to travel to South Caucasus region

ArmInfo. Co-Chairs of  OSCE Minsk Group have come out with the following statement: 

"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, as well as the Personal Representative  of the OSCE Chairman-in-Office Ambassador Andrzej Kasprzyk, met  separately with the Foreign Ministers of Armenia and Azerbaijan in  New York on the margins of the UN General Assembly to continue  discussions on a settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

"During the meetings, we paid special attention to implementation of  decisions taken at the recent summits in Vienna (May 2016) and St.  Petersburg (June 2016). In particular, we discussed further steps  that could create an atmosphere for advancing substantial  negotiations that could lead to a settlement.

We also exchanged views on proposals that could be discussed between  the sides.

Our governments are prepared to host another meeting of the  Presidents or Foreign Ministers at the appropriate time.

We plan to visit the region in the near future."

On September 20, while paying a working visit to New York, Edward  Nalbandian, Acting Foreign Minister of Armenia, had a meeting with  the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs Igor Popov, James Warlick, Pierre  Andrieu and Andrzej Kasprzyk, Personal Representative of the OSCE  Chairperson-in- Office. During the meeting a reference was made on  the necessity to implement the agreements reached at the Vienna and  Saint Petersburg Summits to advance the negotiation process on the  peaceful settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. Petersburg  Summits to advance the negotiation process on the peaceful settlement  of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

Edward Nalbandian emphasized that Azerbaijan has been refusing for  couple of months to implement the agreements reached on the level of  Presidents at the summits, thus hindering the creation of relevant  conditions for the advancement of the negotiation process.  On the  same day, the mediators met with the foreign minister of Azerbaijan  and discussed the need to step up efforts to boost the peace process.  Mammadyarov made anti-Armenian allegations saying "Armenia's  provocations undermine the peace talks." 

On June 20 2016, the Presidents of Armenia, Azerbaijan and Russia met  in Saint Petersburg at the behest of Vladimir Putin.  Reaching a  settlement to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict was the subject of  discussion at the meeting, which took place behind closed doors.   Following the consultations, the presidents of Russia, Armenia and  Azerbaijan adopted a joint statement reaffirming their commitment to  normalizing the situation on the line of contact and giving their  approval to an increase in the number of OSCE observers working in  the conflict zone. The joint statement also expresses the parties'  commitment to putting in place the conditions required for steady  progress in negotiations on a political settlement to the conflict.   The presidents made a point of their regular contacts on Karabakh and  agree to continue them in such format as addition to the efforts by  the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs who were invited to the final stage of  the meeting in St. Petersburg. Meanwhile, Azerbaijani President Ilham  Aliyev said that the investigative mechanisms at the present stage of  the settlement are irrelevant and the issue can be discussed after  "withdrawal of Armenian troops from the NKR". He also stressed that  the Office of the OSCE CiO Personal Representative can be expanded by  no more than 12-13 people. Following the meetings in Vienna and St.   Petersburg, France expressed willingness to host the next meeting on  Karabakh in August 2016, but no meeting was organized.