OSCE MG Russian co-chair to be replaced in summer

"Russia's current co-chair of OSCE Minsk Group Yuri Merzlyakov is likely be replaced by Igor Popov," the source said.

"Popov's candidacy to this post has been discussed over the past few months."

However, Russian Ambassador to Mozambique Igor Popov has denied information about his appointment as Russia's co-chairman of the OSCE Minsk Group on the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

"The ambassador responded to a request from your agency about the possibility of his appointment and said that there has been some mistake. He has no connection with the OSCE Minsk Group and was surprised by this information," Secretary of the Embassy of Russia in Mozambique and the Kingdom of Swaziland Catherine Mikhalevich said.

On Feb.24, the Armenian news Web site News.am reported that that Popov can be appointed Russia's new co-chair of the OSCE Minsk Group on the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

Popov is Russian Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Ambassador to the Republic of Mozambique since July 2005 and the Kingdom of Swaziland.

He has held various diplomatic posts in the ministry's central office abroad. He has also served as deputy director of the CIS First Department of the Foreign Ministry.

/Trend News/