Armenian, Azerbaijani Foreign Ministers to meet in Almaty on July 16

July 7, 2010 - 19:54 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net - The Armenian and Azerbaijani Foreign Ministers are scheduled to meet on the margins of an informal meeting of OSCE Foreign Ministers in Almaty on July 16-17. The meeting is prepared by the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairmen on the Karabakh conflict settlement.

OSCE Chairperson-in-Office, Secretary of State and Foreign Minister of Kazakhstan Kanat Saudabayev will also participate in the talks.

During the informal meeting, to take place at the Ak-Bulak Resort, 35 kilometers south-east of Almaty, Foreign Ministers and other high-level representatives from the 56 OSCE participating States will consider matters related to security in Europe and the OSCE's role, including the agenda of a possible OSCE Summit proposed by the Kazakhstan's OSCE Chairmanship. Some 40 Foreign Ministers are set to participate in the informal meeting, the OSCE press service reported.

The conflict between Nagorno Karabakh and Azerbaijan

The conflict between Nagorno Karabakh and Azerbaijan broke out as result of the ethnic cleansing launched by the Azeri authorities in the final years of the Soviet Union. The Karabakh War was fought from 1991 (when the Nagorno Karabakh Republic was proclaimed) to 1994 (when a ceasefire was sealed by Armenia, NKR and Azerbaijan). Most of Nagorno Karabakh and a security zone consisting of 7 regions are now under control of NKR defense army. Armenia and Azerbaijan are holding peace talks mediated by the OSCE Minsk Group up till now.