Statement of OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs
The following statement has been posted on the OSCE's official website after the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs' November 28-30 visits to Yerevan and Baku:
"The Co-Chairs were accompanied by Ambassador Jacques For, who will be replacing Ambassador Fassier as the French Co-Chair. In Yerevan the Co-Chairs met with President Serzh Sargsyan, Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandyan and Defense Minister Seyran Ohanyan, and in Baku they met with President Ilham Aliyev, Foreign Minister Elmar Mammedyarov and Defense Minister Safar Abiyev. During all meetings, the Co-Chairs affirmed their respective countries' commitment to show support to the sides for a stable and peaceful resolution of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.
Taking into account the information about the latest incidents on the line of contact, the Co-Chairs have underlined the importance of maintaining the ceasefire agreement signed in 1994. They have stressed that such incidents go to show the need for implementing a mechanism for leading investigation into the incidents along the line of contact, on which the presidents of both countries have reached an agreement.
The Co-Chairs have discussed the strengthening of confidence, as well as the issue of applying additional measures for maintaining cultural buildings, cemeteries and sites of worship.
On November 29, the Co-Chairs crossed the border between Armenia and Azerbaijan by foot. In addition, they met with local officials to discuss the situation created in the bordering region. The Co-Chairs on November 30 met with the Azerbaijani representatives of Nagorno-Karabakh and underlined that the peaceful resolution should include the right of all internally displaced people and refugees to return to their former sites of residence.
Ahead of the OSCE Foreign Ministers' Ministerial Council to be held in Vilnius in December, the Co-Chairs have called on the sides to take advantage of the created opportunity and emphasize once again their willingness to seek ways for a peaceful resolution and get out of the unacceptable status-quo."
