Respect for ceasefire is very important for building atmosphere of trust for further negotiations – OSCE Minsk Group
The Co-chairs of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) Minsk Group, in their statement released on Wednesday after their recent visits to Baku, Yerevan, and Stepanakert and posted in the organization’s official website, reiterated their deep concern over recent incidents along the Line of Contact, calling on the sides to exercise restraint in their rhetoric and in their actions.
According to the website, the presidents laid out their positions on the Co-Chairs’ proposals to strengthen the ceasefire and to avoid further escalation of hostilities, particularly in light of the Novruz and Easter holidays.
They expressed their commitment to continuing the negotiation process toward a political solution.
The Co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group (Ambassadors Igor Popov of the Russian Federation, Stephane Visconti of France and Richard Hoagland of the United States of America), together with the Personal Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office Ambassador Andrzej Kasprzyk, traveled to Baku (March 11), Yerevan (March 27) and Nagorno-Karabagh (March 28).
In their talks, the Co-chairs stressed the essential importance of continued support for Ambassador Kasprzyk’s mission and its expansion. The Co-chairs also emphasized their conviction that respect for the ceasefire is of the utmost importance for building an atmosphere of trust to enable further negotiations.
The Co-chairs will soon travel to Vienna to brief the members of the Minsk Group. ---0---