OSCE says there’s some hope for positive dynamic in Karabakh conflict settlement

22 February 2019 17:47 (UTC+04:00)

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There’s some hope for positive dynamic in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict settlement, Trend reports citing Charles Lonsdale, Deputy Director for Policy Support Service at OSCE Conflict Prevention Centre.

He made the remarks during the winter session of the OSCE Parlamentary Assembly in Vienna on Feb.22.

“We follow the developments in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict dealt by the Minsk Group with great interest, more recently, with some hope for positive dynamic following the regular meetings of foreign ministers and informal meetings between President Aliyev and Prime Minister Pashinyan,” said Lonsdale.

Noting the commitments of the parties to concrete measures to prepare their populations for peace, he expressed readiness to support if the parties are interested. “But we are not directly involved in the work of OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs. “

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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