Azernews.Az

As OSCE chair, Ukraine intends to achieve progress towards a peaceful settlement of the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

"We understand that Azerbaijan expects some real steps from Ukraine in a conflict settlement," Ukrainian Ambassador to Azerbaijan Alexander Mishchenko told journalists on Thursday.

Mishchenko said his country is doing everything possible to resolve the conflict by peaceful means, or at least direct it towards real ways of a settlement.

He said the main task that Ukraine has set for itself as OSCE chair is to find the points that would unite the efforts of the OSCE Minsk Group and lead to a change in the status quo and beginning of real negotiations over the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict resolution.

"We are not saying that we can resolve all the issues during our presidency. This is not real and no one sets such a goal, but we have set an ambitious goal to move the process forward," he said.

Mishchenko also noted that today the OSCE Minsk Group is the only possible and acceptable format for negotiations and its work should be activated.

Besides, the ambassador added the visit of the Ukrainian Foreign Minister, the acting OSCE chairman to Azerbaijan and other countries of the South Caucasus is expected.

Azerbaijan is very much optimistic in the process of solution of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict during the Ukrainian presidecy of the OSCE.

Director of the Centre for Political Innovations and Technologies, political analyst Mubariz Ahmadoglu recently said that the presidency of Ukraine in the OSCE creates a sense of optimism in the settlement of Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

Ahmadoglu noted that the information activity of the OSCE on this conflict has intensified from the beginning of the year.

"This activity is supported by the U.S. and the EU. Ukraine can play a significant role in the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh problem," he added.

"As a member of the CIS, Ukraine is very knowledgeable about the origins of conflicts in the region, including the Nagorno-Karabakh. Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych said that he could use his good relations with the presidents of Armenia and Azerbaijan in order to resolve the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. In Ukraine, there is a strong Armenian diaspora, which have strong influence mechanisms on Armenia. Kyev, in turn, has levers of influence on the Armenian Diaspora in Ukraine," Ahmadoglu said.

Earlier in January, the OSCE chairman-in-office, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Leonid Kozhara said that the situation around Nagorno-Karabakh settlement requires continued and close attention of the OSCE.

"We must continue strengthening OSCE's capacity and effectiveness in all elements of the conflict cycle," he said in his speech in Vienna at the event dedicated to the beginning of Ukraine's chairmanship in the organization.

Ukraine took over the annual rotating OSCE Chairmanship on January 1, 2013 from Ireland. In 2014 and 2015 the OSCE will be chaired by Switzerland and Serbia, respectively.

Kozhara said Ukraine will lend its support to the mediating Minsk Group co-chairs in reorganizing negotiations over this conflict.

He noted that unresolved conflicts in the OSCE area continue to represent a serious threat to the regional stability and remain a major concern to all participating states.

Assisting the parties in finding the political solution has to be the highest priority for the OSCE, he said.

The ruling Yeni (New) Azerbaijan Party also expressed hope for Ukraine's active participation in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict settlement during its presidency in the OSCE.

Armenia and Azerbaijan fought a lengthy war that ended with the signing of a fragile cease-fire in 1994. Armenian armed forces have since occupied over 20 percent of Azerbaijan's internationally recognized territory. Armenia has not yet implemented the U.N. Security Council's four resolutions on a pullout from Nagorno-Karabakh and the seven surrounding regions.