Azernews.Az

The Russian co-chairman of the OSCE Minsk Group (MG) brokering settlement to the Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict over Upper (Nagorno) Garabagh has been replaced. Yuri Merzlyakov, who has acted in this capacity since 2003, has been succeeded by Igor Popov, who had served as Russia’s ambassador to Mozambique from 2005.
The replacement was announced during the two diplomats’ visit to Azerbaijan on Tuesday. Merzlyakov, who is paying his last visit to the country as an MG co-chair, said substantial discussions would be held with Azerbaijani officials. "Very serious discussions are in store for us on issues that are on the negotiating table. This is a very beneficial visit though it is the last one."
Popov, in his first statement as the MG co-chair, said he would work to advance a settlement to the long-standing dispute.
"In this post I will focus on contributing to a conflict settlement. In doing so, I will proceed from the point the previous diplomat reached.
"The Russian government’s position on this conflict is clear. There will be no change in this stance with the replacement of the co-chair. The main point is for the momentum being seen in the negotiating process not to be lost," Popov said.
The Russian diplomats met with President Ilham Aliyev on Tuesday. According to Azerbaijan’s state-run AzerTAj news agency, issues pertaining to a settlement of the Upper Garabagh conflict were discussed.
Later in the day, the US co-chair of the Minsk Group, Robert Bradtke, arrived in Baku. Speaking to reporters upon arrival, he also indicated that serious talks were expected.
"As Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev said, we are at the crucial stage in resolving the Garabagh problem. But over the past two months we have lost one point, we need to get it back," Bradtke said but he did not elaborate.
The US mediator said he would inform President Aliyev of the efforts US President Barack Obama and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton are making to reach a solution on Garabagh.
"The U.S. would like to see progress in the process of settling the Garabagh problem. We will do everything we can for the peace process," Bradtke said.
The other co-chair - Bernard Fassier of France – will not visit Azerbaijan this time, and discussions will proceed without him.
The Garabagh conflict flared up in the late 1980s due to Armenia’s territorial claims. Armenia has been occupying over 20% of Azerbaijan’s internationally-recognized territory since the early 1990s, in defiance of international law. The ceasefire accord was signed in 1994, but peace talks have been largely fruitless so far.*