OSCE’s Karabakh mediators have no immediate plans to visit region: envoy

July 12, 2016 - 17:52 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net - The OSCE Minsk Group Co-chairs have no immediate plans to visit the South Caucasus region, but will be in constant communication with the parties to the Nagorno Karabakh conflict, the U.S. Co-chair said Monday, July 12.

Russian Co-chair Igor Popov said earlier that the mediators will visit the region to tackle the Nagorno Karabakh conflict. He also said that the Co-chairs met on Monday in Vienna to discuss issues concerning the peace process.

As Ambassador James Warlick said, the Co-chairs at Monday’s meeting in Vienna briefed the Minsk Group members on the most recent meetings between the Presidents, including U.S. State Secretary John Kerry's talks with each president on the sidelines of the NATO Summit and the one hosted by Russian President Vladimir Putin in St. Petersburg.

“The co-chairing countries will continue their efforts with the sides to advance substantive talks regarding a comprehensive settlement and to implement the commitments to expand the OSCE monitoring mission and finalize a proposal on an investigative mechanism,” he added, according to Azeri media reports.

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.