OSCE MINSK GROUP CO-CHAIRS DEEPLY REGRET LOSS OF LIFE IN NAGORNO KARABAKH CONFLICT
armradio.am
10.03.2008 14:30
The three Minsk Group Co-Chairmen – Ambassador Yury Merzlyakov of the
Russian Federation, Ambassador Bernard Fassier of France and Deputy
Assistant Secretary of State Matthew Bryza of the United States –
issued the following statement:
"The OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs deeply regret the tragic loss of
life on March 4 along the Line of Contact in the Nagorno-Karabakh
conflict. The Co-Chairs call on the parties to restore confidence
along the Line of Contact and desist from any further confrontations,
escalation of violence or warmongering rhetoric.
US Co-Chair Matt Bryza and the Personal Representative of the OSCE
Chairman-in-Office, Ambassador Andrzej Kasprzyk, are currently in
the region, where they have met on behalf of the three mediators with
both sides to defuse the crisis. As of today, the ceasefire has been
restored and the situation on the Line of Contact is calm. The Co
Chairs call upon both Sides to strictly abide by the provisions of
the Arrangement on strengthening the ceasefire in the Nagorno-Karabakh
Conflict of February 4, 1995.
The Co-Chairs reiterate that there is no military solution to
the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. The outbreak of hostilities would
destabilize the entire region, with calamitous consequences for all
involved. The recent casualties and loss of life only underscore
the urgent need for both sides to reach to an agreement peacefully
through ongoing negotiations under the mediation of the OSCE Minsk
Group Co-Chairs.
The Co-Chairs call on Armenia and Azerbaijan to redouble their efforts
to endorse the Basic Principles for the peaceful resolution of the
conflict presented to the sides on the margins of the Madrid OSCE
Ministerial in November 2007, and to begin as soon as possible the
process of drafting a peace agreement on this basis. The Co-Chairs
reiterate their support for Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity and
that Nagorno-Karabakh’s status is the subject of negotiations."