OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs issue statement

WARSAW, 29 September 2011 - 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, released the following statement today:

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) met on September 29 in Warsaw with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and then with Armenian President Serge Sargsian to discuss next steps aimed at reaching a peaceful settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.  The Co-Chairs reaffirmed the commitment made by Presidents Medvedev, Obama, and Sarkozy in their May 26 Deauville statement to assist the sides to achieve such a settlement.

The Co-Chairs presented their work plan for the coming months, leading up to the December OSCE Ministerial Council in Vilnius.  They will continue to work with the sides to delineate their current differences on the Basic Principles as a framework for a comprehensive peace settlement.  The Co-Chairs also will propose to all the parties additional measures aimed at strengthening implementation of the ceasefire, improving the atmosphere on the ground, and promoting understanding among peoples of the region.

The Co-Chairs plan to visit the region again in the near future to carry out this work plan.