OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs issue statement

March 30, 2010 - 14:30 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net - The Co-Chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group, Ambassadors Yuri Merzlyakov of Russia, Bernard Fassier of France, and Robert Bradtke of the United States, released the following statement:

"The Minsk Group Co-Chairs (Ambassador Yuri Merzlyakov, Russian Federation; Ambassador Bernard Fassier, France; Ambassador Robert Bradtke, United States) visited Yerevan and Nagorno Karabkah March 26-29. They updated the de facto authorities March 27 on the current state of negotiations. In Yerevan March 28, the Co-Chairs met President Serzh Sargsyan and Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian to further discuss Armenian comments on the Basic Principles for the peaceful settlement of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict.

While in Armenia, the Co-Chairs also had a number of other separate bilateral meetings. After the recent meetings between the Co-Chairs and the parties in Paris and in the region, the Co-Chairs note with satisfaction the commitment of the parties to reach a peaceful settlement within the framework of the Madrid Principles."

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.

The OSCE Minsk Group

The OSCE Minsk Group was created in 1992 to encourage a peaceful, negotiated resolution to the Nagorno Karabakh conflict. The Minsk Group is headed by a Co-Chairmanship consisting of France, Russia and the United States. The main objectives of the Minsk Process are as follows: Providing an appropriate framework for conflict resolution in the way of assuring the negotiation process supported by the Minsk Group; Obtaining conclusion by the Parties of an agreement on the cessation of the armed conflict in order to permit the convening of the Minsk Conference; Promoting the peace process by deploying OSCE multinational peacekeeping forces.