U.S. names new co-chair of OSCE MG
By Laman Ismayilova
The interim U.S. co-chair of the OSCE Minsk Group, Richard Hoagland has named his successor.
Andrew Schofer will be the new permanent co-chair at the OSCE MG established to broker a peace to the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, Trend reports.
“I’m very pleased to tell you that starting Monday, the U.S. co-chair will be Andrew Schofer. Very experienced senior U.S. diplomat, who most recently served as our charge d’affaires at the U.S. Mission for International Organizations in Vienna,” Hoagland said during the round-table in Washington.
The Minsk Group, the activities of which have become known as the Minsk Process, spearheads the OSCE's efforts to find a peaceful solution to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. It is co-chaired by France, the Russian Federation, and the United States.
Territorial integrity is an important part of the settlement of the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, added Hoagland at the round-table.
“There can be no settlement without respect for Azerbaijan’s sovereignty and the recognition that sovereignty over these territories must be restored,” he said.
Currently, the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs are working on preparing the next meeting of Azerbaijani and Armenian presidents.
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.
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