OSCE Minsk Group, Russia talk on topical issues of Karabakh conflict settlement

As a continuation of the practice of consultations in the OSCE Minsk Group format on settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, Russian State Secretary, Deputy Foreign Minister, Grigory Karasin met with OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs in Moscow, Russian Foreign Ministry said.

OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs from Russia (Igor Popov), the U.S. (James Warlick) and France (Jacques Faure), as well as Personal Representative of the OSCE Chairman-in-Office, Andrzej Kasprzyk attended the meeting.

The topical issues of settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict were discussed during the meeting.

The U.S. co-chair of the OSCE Minsk Group later wrote on his Twitter account that the consultations in Moscow were constructive and Russia, the U.S. and France continue their joint work aimed at supporting the process of peaceful settlement of the conflict.

The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. Armenian armed forces have occupied 20 per cent of Azerbaijan since 1992, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts.

Azerbaijan and Armenia signed a ceasefire agreement in 1994. The co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group, Russia, France and the U.S. are currently holding peace negotiations.

Armenia has not yet implemented the U.N. Security Council's four resolutions on the liberation of the Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding regions.


/Trend/