Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev accused the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs of playing no role in the settlement of the Karabakh conflict as he received the French and US Co-Chairs Stephane Visconti and Andrew Schofer.

Unfortunately, he said, “the Minsk Group did not play any role in the resolution of the conflict, though it had a mandate to do it for 28 years.”

“I participated in negotiations for the last 17 years. Although the Minsk Group was elaborating ideas and trying to be creative, there was no result,” Aliyev stated.

Aliyev also said that the visit of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs to Baku was their own initiative, he had not invited them.

“It was your idea to come. I can tell you again in front of the cameras, I did not invite the Minsk Group to come. But when I was informed that the Minsk Group wants to come, I said okay, I don’t mind, maybe they have something to tell me,” Aliyev said.

The reception was also attended by Russian Ambassador to Azerbaijan Mikhail Bocharnikov and Personal Representative of the OSCE Chairman-in-Office Andrzej Kasprzyk. The Russian Ambassador said the Russian government has always noted the importance of the Minsk Group. “That’s why, we participated and today we are participating in this group,” he said.