OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs, Ambassador Igor Popov (Russia), James Warlick (US) and Pierre Andrieu (France) met with Minister of Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan Elmar Mammadyarov in Krakow. Personal Representative of the OSCE Chairman-in-Office Andrzej Kasprzyk was also participating in the meeting, as PanARMENIAN.Net reports.

“We expressed to the Minister our serious concern about reported incursions across the Line of Contact and the Armenia-Azerbaijan border, resulting in casualties. The rise in violence that began last year must stop for confidence to be restored and progress to be made in the Nagorno-Karabakh peace process. We called on Azerbaijan to observe its commitments to a peaceful resolution of the conflict.  We also call on Armenia to take all measures to reduce tensions.  All sides must abide by the terms of the ceasefire agreement.  Violence undermines efforts to bring about peace.

We discussed with the Minister possible next steps in the peace process, including comprehensive negotiations that can lead to a lasting settlement which would benefit all the people of the region.  We reminded the Minister of our mandates and expressed concern about voices critical of the ongoing negotiation process, the role of the Minsk Group Co-Chairs, and the duties of OSCE monitors.

We emphasized the importance of measures aimed at avoiding unintended incidents along the Line of Contact and Armenia-Azerbaijan border.  We also discussed the implementation at the earliest opportunity of the Presidents’ agreement to exchange data on missing persons under the aegis of the ICRC,” as stated in the Minsk Group Co-Chairs’ press release.

The Co-Chairs plan to meet with Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Armenia Edward Nalbandyan in the near future and then visit the region.

In his turn, the OSCE Chairman-in-Office and Serbia’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Ivica Dacic has expressed his concerns about the latest incursions on the Armenian-Azerbaijani border and on the Line of Contact. “I would like to urge the sides to ensure a full cessation of hostilities as stipulated in the May 1994 agreement,” he said. “I deplore the upsurge in acts of violence resulting in loss of lives, and I call on the sides to demonstrate responsibility and avoid steps that would lead to further escalation.”

“The contacts between presidents and at other levels, remain central to progress and they must be underpinned by a full ceasefire and cessation of hostilities. The meetings in 2014 between the presidents of Armenia and Azerbaijan in Sochi, Newport and Paris were positive steps in the right direction. The OSCE continues to facilitate direct contacts, Mr Dacic said that it only the parties alone can and must enforce a ceasefire, but only the sides, starting from the highest level of commanders and ending with the average soldier, can and must ensure maintenance of the ceasefire regime.”

“I reaffirm support for the Personal Representative Andrzej Kasprzyk, who is charged with encouraging direct contact, and with helping the parties develop and implement new and much needed confidence-building measures. I also strongly support the joint efforts of the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs, especially those aiming at strengthening the ceasefire and developing a common basis for negotiations. I encourage the parties to make full use of the OSCE toolbox and to take measurable steps towards a peaceful and lasting settlement.”

OSCE Secretary General Lamberto Zanier fully supported the statement by the OSCE Chairman-in-Office and urged the two sides to become involved once again in the political process led by the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs.