OSCE MG Co-Chairs to meet Armenian, Azerbaijani Foreign Ministers in Europe in coming days![]() May 6, 2010 - 15:00 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 OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs (Ambassador Yuri Merzlyakov, the Russian Federation; Ambassador Bernard Fassier, France; Ambassador Robert Bradtke, United States; incoming Russian Co-Chair Ambassador Igor Popov) briefed the OSCE Minsk Group in Vienna May 5 on the current status of negotiations, and thanked them for their continued support for the Co-Chairs' efforts. They underscored the commitment of the parties to make progress on the elaboration of a settlement based on the Madrid Principles as well as the elements contained in the joint statement issued by Presidents of the Co-Chair countries at the L'Aquila Summit of the Eight July 10, 2009. In his last trip to Vienna as the Russian Co-Chair, Ambassador Merzlyakov formally introduced Ambassador Popov to the Minsk Group as the new Russian Co-Chair. The Co-Chairs expect to meet the Azerbaijani and Armenian foreign ministers in Europe in the coming days to discuss how to move negotiations forward.” ![]() ![]() 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. ![]() ![]() Azerbaijani authorities report that they have already resettled 3,000 people in the Nagorno-Karabakh town of Stepanakert. On June 10, Azerbaijani President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev will leave for Turkey on a working visit. Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev arrived in Moscow on April 22 to hold talks with Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin. Authorities said a total of 192 Azerbaijani troops were killed and 511 were wounded during Azerbaijan’s offensive. ![]() ![]() Partner news | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |