OSCE Minsk Group committed to resolving Karabakh conflict: Lavrov

September 28, 2015 - 11:42 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net - OSCE Minsk Group Co-chairs are committed to finding new ways of dealing with and implementing the already-made decisions for a peaceful settlement of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict, Russian Co-chair Sergey Lavrov said on Sunday, September 27, according to TASS.

“I am very happy to have an opportunity to compare notes and make sure we can do more to proceed in the process of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict settlement,” Lavrov said, opening the meeting with the OSCE Minsk Group.

“Each of the co-chairing countries is committed to this process, taking into account our relations with Armenia and Azerbaijan,” the Minister added.

In a joint press statement, the Co-chairs called for the Presidents of Armenia and Azerbaijan to accept an OSCE mechanism to investigate ceasefire violations. Without such a mechanism, they said, the sides will continue to blame each other for initiating deadly attacks on the line of contact and Armenia-Azerbaijan border. Armenia has agreed to discuss the details of the mechanism, and Azerbaijan was urged to do the same.

The conflict between Nagorno Karabakh and Azerbaijan

The conflict between Nagorno Karabakh and Azerbaijan broke out as result of the ethnic cleansing launched by the Azeri authorities in the final years of the Soviet Union. The Karabakh War was fought from 1991 (when the Nagorno Karabakh Republic was proclaimed) to 1994 (when a ceasefire was sealed by Armenia, NKR and Azerbaijan). Most of Nagorno Karabakh and a security zone consisting of 7 regions are now under control of NKR defense army. Armenia and Azerbaijan are holding peace talks mediated by the OSCE Minsk Group up till now.