“The statement of the Minsk Group co-chairs following the meetings in New York with the foreign ministers of Azerbaijan and Armenia of September 25 indicates that they reject the populist statements of the Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan,” Chairman of the Center of Analysis of International Relations Farid Shafiyev said, APA reports.
According to him, the co-chairs noted that they do not accept inflammatory rhetoric which predetermines the outcome of negotiations. “This is the first official reaction of the co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group to the statements made in Khankendi on August 5 this year, just like other similar statements by the Armenian leadership. The co-chairs, in their general comments, also expressed regrets about the last fatality on the contact line, thereby condemn killing of an Azerbaijani soldier on September 22. Thus, we can conclude that the co-chairs have a negative attitude to the actions of the Armenian side. The question remains open - how will all this affect the further course of negotiations.”
Note that The Co-Chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group (Igor Popov of the Russian Federation, Stéphane Visconti of France, and Andrew Schofer of the United States of America) met separately and jointly with Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov and Armenian Foreign Minister Zohrab Mnatsakanyan on the margins of the UN General Assembly.
The Co-Chairs were joined in their meetings by the Personal Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office, Andrzej Kasprzyk. They also met with OSCE Secretary General Thomas Greminger, OSCE Chairperson-in-Office, Slovak Foreign Minister Miroslav Lajčák, and senior officials of the United Nations.
The Co-Chairs briefed the two Ministers on their activities since the joint meeting in Washington in June, including recent consultations in Paris and Geneva on the humanitarian and security dimensions of the conflict.
The Co-Chairs noted the positive effects of the sides’ efforts to minimize violence during the summer period, including the use of the existing direct communication links, and expressed deep regret over the recent fatality.
The Co-Chairs and the Ministers continued their discussion of additional measures to reduce tensions and sustain an atmosphere conducive to peace and favorable to substantive talks. Recalling their 9 March statement, the Co-Chairs encouraged the sides to minimize the use of rhetoric that is inflammatory or prejudges the outcome of negotiations.
The Co-Chairs intend to visit the region in the near future.
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