Azernews.Az

By Rashid Shirinov

All the main issues of topical agenda are planned to be discussed at the informal meeting of the OSCE foreign ministers, said German Minister for Foreign Affairs Frank-Walter Steinmeier.

The meeting will be held on September 1 in Potsdam [Germany], RIA Novosti reported on August 31.

In the current crisis-ridden world, the OSCE’s role is probably more important than ever with regard to crisis management in the east of Ukraine, Transnistria, Nagorno-Karabakh and other conflicts in Europe, just as with regard to ensuring peace and security, German Foreign Ministry’s press service quoted Steinmeier as saying.

Azerbaijan and Armenia fought a lengthy war that ended with the signing of a fragile ceasefire in 1994. Since the war, Armenian armed forces have occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan's territory, including Nagorno-Karabakh and seven surrounding regions. More than 20,000 Azerbaijanis were killed and over 1 million were displaced as a result of the large-scale hostilities.

While the OSCE Minsk Group acted as the only mediator in resolution of the conflict, the occupation of the territory of the sovereign State with its internationally recognized boundaries has been left out of due attention of the international community for years.

Meanwhile, Russian Foreign Ministry’s spokesman Maria Zakharova announced that scheduled consultations on the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict with participation of the OSCE Minsk Group (MG) will be held on September 8.

“The OSCE MG’s co-chairmen from Russia, USA, France and the personal representative of the OSCE’s chairperson-in-office will take part in the meeting,” - Zakharova said.

The main purpose of the event is coordination of efforts on the settlement of Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, Zakharova noted.

---

Rashid Shirinov is AzerNews’ staff journalist, follow him on Twitter: @RashidShirinov

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz