The Co-Chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group, Ambassadors Bernard Fassier of France, Yury Merzlyakov of Russia, and Matthew Bryza of the United States, have issued the following statement today on the occasion of constitutional referendum in the Nagorno Karabakh. "The OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs took note that the authorities of Nagorno-Karabakh held a referendum on December 10 on a draft ''Constitution'' of the so-called ''Nagorno-Karabakh Republic,'' which no member of the international community - including the Co-Chair countries - recognizes as an independent state.

The Co-Chairs do not believe that such a ''referendum'' will contribute to a negotiated settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. Any future legal status of Nagorno-Karabakh should be determined without the threat or use of force and only as the result of political negotiations between all parties in the framework of the Minsk process. Conducting such a referendum now, thus pre-empting the final legal status of Nagorno-Karabakh, rather than forging a compromise is particularly unhelpful at a moment when the OSCE Minsk Group-mediated negotiations between Armenia and Azerbaijan appear to be on a constructive path.

The Co-Chairs expect that the results of this referendum , which are not internationally recognized, will have no negative effect on continuing prospects for an agreement between the sides on basic principles for the settlement of the conflict.'', OSCE press-office reported.