OSCE MINSK GROUP CO-CHAIRS ISSUE STATEMENT ON NAGORNO-KARABAKH

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22 July, 2008

Today the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs issued the following statement:

"The OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs (Ambassador Yuri Merzylakov of the
Russian Federation; Ambassador Bernard Fassier of France; Deputy
Assistant Secretary of State Matthew Bryza of the United States)
welcome the constructive engagement of Presidents Aliyev and Sargsyan
following their June 6 meeting in St. Petersburg and the Co-Chairs’
June 27-28 trip to the region.

At this important juncture, the Co-Chairs call on all parties to
refrain from maximalist initiatives on the ground, at the negotiating
table, and in their public statements, and to avoid all belligerent
rhetoric, as we work together in pursuit of a peaceful settlement.

There is no military solution to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. Both
Presidents called for invigorated Minsk Group talks during their
meeting in St. Petersburg. The Co-Chairs look forward to meeting again
with the Armenian and Azerbaijani Foreign Ministers in the coming
weeks to press forward with negotiations on the Basic Principles for
the peaceful settlement of the conflict."