VISIT OF OSCE MG CO-CHAIRS TO REGION TO BRING CONFLICTING SIDES TOGETHER: OSCE REPRESENTATIVE
Trend News Agency
Feb 4 2008
Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan, Baku, 4 February /corr. Trend K.Ramazanova / The visit
of the OSCE Minsk Group to the region is to bring the conflicting
sides closer together, said the OSCE Chairman-in-Office’s Special
Representative, Andzey Kasprzyk.
"Each meeting of the Co-chairs assists in devising such formulas
that are more achievable for both sides," Kasprzyk said, commenting
on the last visit of the Co-chairs to the region.
The OSCE Minsk Group Co-chairs visited the region in January to
receive the responses to the written proposals which were presented
to the conflicting sides.
According to Kasprzyk, it is possible to speak of the next visit of the
Co-chairs to the region after the elections in Armenia and continue
talks with the newly elected President in Armenia. The Presidential
elections in Armenia will take place on 19 February.
The conflict between the two countries of the South Caucasus began
in 1988 due to Armenian territorial claims against Azerbaijan. Since
1992, Armenian Armed Forces have occupied 20% of Azerbaijan including
the Nagorno-Karabakh region and its seven surrounding districts. In
1994, Azerbaijan and Armenia signed a ceasefire agreement at which
time active hostilities ended. The Co-Chairs of the OSCE Minsk
Group ( Russia, France, and the US) are currently holding peaceful
negotiations.