Armenian, Azerbaijani Presidents seek to intensify talks: U.S. diplomat

PanARMENIAN.Net - The OSCE Minsk Group U.S. Co-chair commented on the readiness of the peoples of the Caucasus region to the peaceful settlement of Nagorno Karabakh conflict in an interview with the Voice of America.

As James Warlick noted, people are ready for peace, the question being whether the heads of states have the political will to reach a negotiated settlement. He said the mediators want to help achieve a negotiated settlement and a lasting peace. “Time for peace has arrived, and I think people will welcome the prosperity that peace will bring to the region,” Warlick said.

According to Warlick, Armenian and Azerbaijani Presidents told the Co-chairs they want to intensify the negotiations. The international mediators and foreign ministers of the two countries will meet on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly to prepare the next round of talks between Presidents Serzh Sargsyan and Ilham Aliyev.

Warlick, however, remained deeply concerned about the escalation of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict. He stressed the necessity of maintaining ceasefire to reach a settlement. The mediator also noted that the United States supports the confidence-building measures and is willing to work with the parties to achieve the goal. "We have long supported the introduction of an OSCE investigative mechanism, and hope Azerbaijan will also be willing to adopt it," the diplomat said.