The diplomat expressed hope that the co-chairs will be able to bring the Azerbaijani and Armenian foreign ministers together to continue an important discussion on key issues, including the importance of respecting the ceasefire and taking steps towards fully implementing decisions taken in Vienna and St. Petersburg.
“We continue to encourage the presidents to meet at the earliest opportunity,” added Warlick.
The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, in 1992 Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts. The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations.
Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on withdrawal of its armed forces from the Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding districts.
The 23rd meeting of the OSCE Ministerial Council will take place on Dec. 8-9 in Germany’s Hamburg.
The OSCE Ministerial Council is held annually at the year-end. The chairmanship at the OSCE will pass from Germany to Austria on Jan. 1, 2017.
/Trend/
OSCE MG hopes for ministerial meeting on Karabakh at year-end
15 November 2016
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The OSCE Minsk Group (MG) co-chairs are prepared to work with the parties of the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict in any way that can bring about a lasting settlement, the OSCE MG US co-chair James Warlick told Nov. 15.
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