Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh) National Assembly speaker Artur Tovmasyan highly appreciated the statement by the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs on 13 April.
“We welcome the April 13 statement of the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs, which amid complex regional events, offers new opportunities and an updated agenda. In the statement OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs stress, that special attention should be paid to the achievement of a final comprehensive and sustainable settlement on the basis of the elements and principles well-known to the sides.”
The Co-Chairs called also on the parties to resume high-level political dialogue under the auspices of the Co-Chairs at the earliest opportunity and reiterated their proposal to organize direct bilateral consultations under their auspices, in order for the sides to review and agree jointly upon a structured agenda, reflecting their priorities, without preconditions.
“We expect that the co-chairs, confirming their mediating mission in the settlement of the conflict, will restore the previous practice of regional visits and discussions, including with official Stepanakert, which will significantly contribute to the conflict settlement process,” Tovmasyan said.
In his statement, Tovmasyan pointed to the importance of the preservation of religious and cultural heritage in areas that went under Azerbaijani control, especially against the background of Azerbaijan”s policy of their eradication.
“We hope that the relevant international organizations will cooperate with the Co-Chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group in the resolving this issue,” he said.
Tovmasyan expressed hope that the co-chairs will pay special attention and condemn new manifestations of Armenophobia in Azerbaijan, in particular, the recent opening of the so-called ‘Victory Park’ in Baku which has no precedent in the world reality.
“We once again highly appreciate the role of Russia in introducing peacekeeping mission in the Republic of Artsakh, as well as the continuous practice of acting in the joint format of the co-chairmanship. We believe that Russia’s separate, active efforts to resolve the conflict can be complemented by opportunities to resolve the issue from the United States and France,” the statement reads.
