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BAKU: OSCE MG Renews Call For Peaceful Settlement Of Nagorno-Karabak

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  • BAKU: OSCE MG Renews Call For Peaceful Settlement Of Nagorno-Karabak

    OSCE MG RENEWS CALL FOR PEACEFUL SETTLEMENT OF NAGORNO-KARABAKH CONFLICT

    AzerNews, Azerbaijan
    May 12 2014

    12 May 2014, 12:10 (GMT+05:00)
    By Sara Rajabova

    The OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs have issued a statement on the 20th
    anniversary of the 1994 ceasefire agreement signed between Azerbaijan
    and Armenia.

    The co-chairs invited the people of the region to reflect upon the
    legacy of the past two decades, the OSCE said.

    "That agreement brought an end to the outright war, halted the tragic
    violence of previous years, and laid the groundwork for negotiations
    that offered the sides a path to peace. Thanks to the resulting truce,
    a new generation of Armenians and Azerbaijanis grew up without
    experiencing the horrors of war. The sides should do everything
    possible to protect future generations from such experience", the
    statement said.

    The co-chairs said the ceasefire agreement has not yet resolved the
    underlying conflict.

    "It left occupied the territories surrounding Nagorno-Karabakh. The
    absence of a final settlement has resulted in the ongoing displacement
    of hundreds of thousands of people, the perpetual threat of escalating
    violence along the international border and the Line of Contact, and
    a misconception in some quarters that the status quo can be sustained
    indefinitely", the statement said.

    The co-chairs noted that the sides have shown little willingness
    to take advantage of the opportunities offered by the co-chairing
    countries or make the political decisions necessary for progress in
    the peace process.

    "We share a common position on this conflict, and remain firmly
    committed to helping the sides reach a peaceful settlement as soon
    as possible based on the core principles of the UN Charter and the
    Helsinki Final Act, particularly those pertaining to the non-use of
    force, territorial integrity, and equal rights and self-determination
    of peoples," the co-chairs said.

    It is noted in the statement that a settlement will have to
    include the elements outlined by the presidents of the co-chair
    countries in statements from 2009 to 2013, which include the return
    of the territories surrounding Nagorno-Karabakh, interim status
    for Nagorno-Karabakh guaranteeing security and self-governance,
    a corridor linking Armenia to Nagorno-Karabakh, final status of
    Nagorno-Karabakh to be determined in the future by a legally-binding
    expression of will, the right of all internally-displaced persons and
    refugees to return, and international security guarantees, including
    a peacekeeping operation.

    "In November we saw a promising renewal of dialogue at the highest
    levels. We call on the sides to enter into constructive negotiations
    resulting in a peace agreement based on these elements in order to
    bring about a lasting settlement to the conflict. Such a settlement
    will not be possible without a basis of trust and understanding
    between the Armenian and Azerbaijani people. We call on the sides to
    involve people in programs and security confidence building measures to
    reinforce the peace process. Armenians and Azerbaijanis deserve to live
    in peace and security, and we stand ready to help. The sides must take
    the necessary steps towards peace. These steps would be fully supported
    by the OSCE and the international community," the statement said.

    The precarious cease-fire between Azerbaijan and Armenia was reached
    after a lengthy war that displaced over a million Azerbaijanis and
    has been in place between the two South Caucasus countries since 1994.

    Since the hostilities, Armenian armed forces have occupied over
    20 percent of Azerbaijan's internationally recognized territory,
    including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts.

    The UN Security Council has adopted four resolutions calling on
    Armenia's withdrawal from the Azerbaijani territory, but they have
    not been enforced to this day.

    Peace talks, mediated by Russia, France and the U.S. through the OSCE
    Minsk Group, are underway on the basis of a peace outline proposed
    by the Minsk Group co-chairs dubbed the Madrid Principles. The
    negotiations have been largely fruitless so far.

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