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OSCE PA special representative criticizes Minsk Group co-chairs

22 February 2018 12:40 (UTC +04:00)

OSCE PA Special Representative on the South Caucasus Kristian Vigenin has criticized the activities of the Minsk Group co-chairs.

Vigenin earlier announced his withdrawal from the position of OSCE PA Special Representative on the South Caucasus.

Addressing the winter session of the OSCE PA in Vienna on Feb. 22, Vigenin said he has invested a lot of efforts to increase the role of OSCE PA in the South Caucasus by

strengthening the coordination and cooperation with other relevant players like the Special Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office for the South Caucasus and especially the Personal Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office on the conflict dealt with by the OSCE Minsk Conference as well as the co-chairs of the Minsk Group.

“The three co-chairs (from France, Russia and the United States) have declined several invitations to inform the OSCE PA on their work, even in informal formats. I could only achieve a meeting with them, when I was able to share my views on the issue and explain the possible added value of stronger involvement of parliamentarians in the process. We agreed to further exchange information about our activities but this could not lead to stronger engagement,” he said.

“Their [the co-chairs] work remains very closed, with rare press releases for the public which contain no substantive information,” Vigenin added.