Russian FM to discuss Karabakh conflict with OSCE Secretary General

3 November 2017 10:57 (UTC+04:00)

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By Rashid Shirinov

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov will discuss the Armenian-Azerbaijani Nagorno-Karabakh conflict with OSCE Secretary General Thomas Greminger on November 3, Russian Foreign Ministry’s Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said at a briefing on Thursday.

“The Russian Foreign Minister is slated to meet with the OSCE Secretary General on November 3, who will be in Moscow on his first working visit since taking office in July this year,” Zakharova said.

Azerbaijan and Armenia fought a lengthy war that ended with 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.

Until now, Armenia ignores four UN Security Council resolutions on immediate withdrawal from the occupied territory of Azerbaijan, thus keeping tension high in the region.

The last meeting between the Azerbaijani and Armenian presidents to discuss the peaceful settlement of the conflict was held by the OSCE Minsk Group past month in Geneva. After the meeting, the MG reported that the presidents agreed to take measures to intensify the negotiation process on the settlement of the conflict and to take additional steps to reduce tensions along the frontline.

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