OSCE MG urges Nagorno-Karabakh conflict sides to reduce tensions
By Sara Rajabova
The OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs called on the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict sides to refrain from the hostilities.
Following their visit to Azerbaijan and Armenia, the Minsk Group mediators urged the sides to take steps to reduce tensions and avoid violence, particularly against the civilian population in the zone of Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, OSCE said on October 17.
Co-Chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group from the Russian Federation and France (Ambassador Igor Popov and Ambassador Pierre Andrieu) traveled to the region last week to meet with Azerbaijani and Armenian government leaders and participate in an OSCE monitoring mission on the Armenian-Azerbaijani border.
The co-chairs were joined by the Personal Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office, Ambassador Andrzej Kasprzyk. U.S. Co-Chair Ambassador James Warlick could not attend for personal reasons, but the U.S. side was represented by his assistant.
During their visit to the region, the co-chairs met with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, and Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan. In Yerevan, they also had consultations with Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian.
The co-chairs discussed preparations for the upcoming summit hosted by French President Francois Hollande in Paris later in October.
The co-chairs recounted the recent meetings of the presidents in Sochi and Wales, and noted the stabilization of the situation along the line of contact and border after the increase in violence this summer. They also expressed hope that recent ceasefire violations would not escalate.
On both sides of the border, they met with local officials and commanders to receive a briefing about security conditions.
However, the co-chairs didn't mention the ceasefire violation by the Armenian armed forces during the monitoring. The Armenian militaries opened fire on the contact line of troops on October 16 prior to passing of the monitoring group to the opposite side.
This is not the only case when Armenian armed forces violate the ceasefire during the OSCE monitoring. In early 2014, the OSCE monitoring group was forced to delay its monitoring operation due to heavy shelling by the Armenian armed forces.
Despite the obvious violation of international norms and laws by the Armenian armed forces, the international organizations and world powers continue to turn blind eyes to Armenia's aggressive policy.
Armenia and Azerbaijan fought a lengthy war that ended with the signing of a fragile ceasefire in 1994. More than 20,000 Azerbaijanis were killed and over 1 million were displaced as a result of the large-scale hostilities. Since the war, Armenian armed forces have occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan's territory, including Nagorno-Karabakh and seven surrounding regions.
Armenia continues the occupation in defiance of four UN Security Council resolutions calling for immediate and unconditional withdrawal of armed forces.
Peace talks brokered by mediators from Russia, France and the U.S. have produced no results so far.