OSCE MG co-chairs call for additional actions to reinforce ceasefire and demonstrate a spirit of compromise

Efforts made by the Armenian and Azerbaijan over the settlement of Nagorno Karabakh conflict made so far have not been sufficient to overcome their differences, and additional actions are needed to reinforce the ceasefire and demonstrate a spirit of compromise, OSCE Minsk Group ch-chairs Ambassador Igor Popov of Russia, Bernard Fassier of France, and Robert Bradtke of the United States said in a statement released on July 28 as they met with the members of the Minsk Group in Vienna, Austria.

According to the OSCE official website, they briefed the Minsk Group on recent developments in negotiations on the peaceful settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, including: discussions held in St. Petersburg June 17, 2010 by the presidents of the Russian Federation, Armenia, and Azerbaijan; the meeting of the Heads of Delegation of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chair countries with the Foreign Ministers of Azerbaijan and Armenia July 17, 2010; and the joint statements issued by the Minsk Group Co-Chair countries in Muskoka and Almaty.

"The Co-Chairs stressed that the efforts made so far by the sides of the conflict have not been sufficient to overcome their differences, and that additional actions are needed to reinforce the ceasefire and demonstrate a spirit of compromise. To assist the parties in their efforts, the Co-Chairs plan to visit the region in early September," reads the release.