OSCE Minsk Group Co-chairs talk Karabakh with Azerbaijani President

PanARMENIAN.Net - The OSCE Minsk Group Co-chairs – James Warlick of the United States, Igor Popov of Russia and Pierre Andrieu of France – met with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev Wednesday, April 6.

During the meeting, the parties discussed the situation and recent escalation on the Nagorno Karabakh contact line, RIA Novosti reports.

Stressing the need for an urgent settlement of the conflict, the Co-chairs hailed the agreement on the cessation of fire. Also, the mediators called for intensified talks between Armenia and Azerbaijan.

The Co-chairs are set to visit Yerevan and Stepanakert for further negotiations.

The parties to the Karabakh conflict agreed on a bilateral ceasefire along the contact line which came into force at midday, April 5.

Prior to that, on the night of April 1-2, Azerbaijani armed forces initiated overt offensive operations in the southern, southeastern and northeastern directions of the line of contact with Nagorno Karabakh.

As many as 29 Karabakh servicemen were killed and 101 were wounded in the course of military operations. 28 Karabakh soldiers have gone missing so far.

As of April 5, the Azerbaijani side has lost 26 tanks and 4 infantry fighting vehicles, as well as 1 BM-21 Grad multiple rocket launcher, 2 military helicopters and 11 unmanned aerial vehicles.

14 Karabakh tanks have been neutralized since April 2.