Helsinki Commission announces Karabakh briefing in WashingtonOctober 12, 2017 - 10:48 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - The U.S. Helsinki Commission announced on Wednesday, October 11 it will host two former United States co-chairs of the Minsk Group as well as a renowned independent expert on the Nagorno Karabakh conflict to assess the current state of the dispute, the Minsk Group format, and the prospects for achieving a lasting peace. Azerbaijan on April 2, 2016 launched a large-scale military offensive against Karabakh which left hundreds dead on both sides. Top Armenian and Azerbaijani officials reached an agreement on the cessation of hostilities on April 5 in Moscow. In particular, former U.S. co-chairs Carey Cavanaugh andJames Warlick, as well asEurope & Central Asia Program Director at the International Crisis GroupMagdalena Grono will participate in the briefing. Titled "Averting All-Out War in Nagorno Karabakh: The Role of the U.S. and OSCE," the event is slated for October 18 in Washington. Since 1997, the United States, France, and Russia have co-chaired the Minsk Group of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), the principal international mechanism aimed at reaching a negotiated solution to the conflict. Top stories Six total incidents have burned 19 old-growth trees. Friday night 8 trees were torched along the beautiful main entrance. The EU does not intend to conduct military exercises with Armenia, Lead Spokesperson for EU Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Peter Stano says. Hikmet Hajiyev has said that there is no place for USAID operation in Azerbaijan any longer. A telephone conversation between Putin and Pashinyan before the CSTO summit is not planned, Peskov says. Partner news | Czech-Armenian military cooperation discussed in Yerevan A delegation led by the Director General for the Industrial Cooperation Division of the Ministry of Defence of the Czech Republic visited Armenia. Ex-Karabakh leader moved to solitary confinement cell in Baku, his son says David Vardanyan is the son of former Karabakh leader Ruben Vardanyan who who is currently imprisoned in Azerbaijan. Freedom House concerned by mounting reports of police violence in Armenia Freedom House urged Armenian authorities to investigate this pattern of excessive force and inhumane treatment. CSTO recognizes Armenia’s sovereign right to withdraw Tasmagambetov has said that if Armenia decides to leave the organization, “it will be the sovereign right of Armenia.” |