President Sargsyan, U.S. Secretary Kerry talk Karabakh in Warsaw

July 9, 2016 - 11:45 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net - President Serzh Sargsyan on Friday, July 8 met with U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry on the sidelines of the NATO Summit in Warsaw to discuss the Nagorno Karabakh conflict settlement.

Starting the meeting, Sargsyan expressed condolences over the deadly shootings in Dallas, Texas.

Passing on to the Karabakh issue, the President hailed the efforts of the United States as a Co-chair of the OSCE Minsk Group in establishing peace and stability in the South Caucasus region.

Also, the parties discussed an earlier phone conversation between the Russian and U.S. Presidents on Wednesday, during which the leaders addressed the Karabakh conflict among other issues.

The parties also stressed the importance of implementing the agreements, reached at summits in Vienna and Saint Petersburg.

Sargsyan and Azeri leader Ilham Aliyev met on June 20 in Saint Petersburg to address the conflict, with Russian President Vladimir Putin mediating the talks. The Armenian and Azerbaijani presidents confirmed their commitment to the implementation of agreements reached at a Vienna-hosted meeting on May 16. To that end, they have agreed to increase the number of international observers in the Nagorno Karabakh conflict zone. Also, they expressed satisfaction that the ceasefire was now holding.

Prior to that, a meeting between both leaders was organized on May 16 in Vienna, with top diplomats from the MG co-chairing countries hosting the summit.

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.