Azeri FM reiterates suggestion to downgrade OSCE office status

PanARMENIAN.Net - The Foreign Minister of Azerbaijan, Elmar Mammadyarov, addressed representatives of the 57 OSCE participating States in Vienna.

Outlining his country’s support for the OSCE as a platform for addressing security threats and its historic success in forging consensus between diverse states, Mammadyarov said that the Organization’s “comparative advantage lies in its comprehensive security concept” and stressed its role in enhancing security for countries not part of other security groupings.

Calling for wider discussion within the OSCE on protracted conflicts, including on Nagorno Karabakh, he said: “Azerbaijan believes the potential for reaching peace on the conflict is not exhausted.” He said that there was a need to “reinvigorate” the Minsk Group format, urging “more substantive talks, not just talks for talks.”

Addressing the OSCE’s work in Azerbaijan, Mammadyarov stated his country’s intention to invite international monitoring teams to observe the upcoming presidential election, in line with OSCE commitments. He also reiterated Azerbaijan’s desire to review the status of the OSCE presence in the country, suggesting that its work could be refocused on project coordination.

Mammadyarov was speaking at a special session of the OSCE Permanent Council. He previously addressed the Permanent Council in 2004, the Organization’s official web page said.

Earlier, Washington spoke against downgrading the status of the OSCE office in Azerbaijan, suggesting that the Organization may block Baku’s offer.