The Co-Chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group (Ambassadors Bernard Fassier of France, Robert Bradtke of the United States, and Igor Popov of the Russian Federation) and Ambassador Andrzej Kasprzyk (Personal Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office) presented their annual report of activities on November 3 to the Permanent Council of the OSCE, in light of the upcoming OSCE Ministerial Council in Vilnius.
The report says in summarizing their efforts to mediate a lasting and peaceful settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, the Co-Chairs noted that in the past year they visited the region eight times and held fourteen separate meetings in various locations with Azerbaijani President Aliyev and Armenian President Sargsian. The Co-Chairs also crossed the Line of Contact by foot four times in the past fourteen months, demonstrating that the Line is not a permanent barrier between peoples of the region and that military coordination in implementing the ceasefire is possible when all the sides are willing.
Highlighting the continued engagement of their three governments, including at the highest level, the Co-Chairs also reiterated that there is no military solution and that political will by the sides is essential for them to make the difficult decisions required to move beyond the unacceptable status quo and achieve peace.
The Co-Chairs also described additional efforts intended to improve the atmosphere for negotiations, strengthen implementation of the ceasefire, and promote understanding among peoples of the region. The Co-Chairs plan to travel to the region again at the end of this month to further develop proposals on these issues and to discuss continuation of the negotiation process.
Azerbaijan`s Permanent representative to the OSCE Galib Israfilov reiterated Azerbaian`s stance on the conflict. He pointed out restoration of Azerbaijan`s territorial integrity is important for not only Azerbaijan but also European security because Azerbaijan with its rapidly developing economy has become the Europe`s reliable partner and guarantor of energy security and grown from the `security consumer` into the `security producer`. From this point of view, restoration of Azerbaijan's territorial integrity must be an important factor for OSCE member countries.
He said unlike Azerbaijan Armenia wants to keep status quo. Destruction of monuments, settlement of Armenians, pillage of natural resources are signals proving this Armenia`s intention.
The ambassador noted confidence-building measures should not serve to keep status quo but contribute to reintegration of Nagorno-Karabakh region into Azerbaijan`s legal and political system. He suggested organizing a meeting of Azerbaijani and Armenian communities and called on OSCE member countries to support confidence-building measures of humanitarian nature. The diplomat also underscored the need to pull out Armenian troops from occupied lands.
Azerbaijani side`s constrictive approach was welcomed by OSCE member states.

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