OSCE MG co-chairs issue statement
Assa-Irada, Azerbaijan
posted April 18 2005
Baku, April 15, AssA-Irada
The OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs Yuri Merzlyakov of Russia, Steven Mann
of the United States and Bernard Fassier of France issued a statement
on Friday over the ceasefire breaches on the Armenia-Azerbaijan
frontline.
The co-chairs are concerned over the persistent ceasefire violations,
casualties on both sides, calls for war and the increasing hatred
between the two countries’ residents, the document reads.
“At a time the Minsk Group is close to the initial steps in achieving
an agreement between the conflicting sides, the co-chairs call on
Armenia and Azerbaijan to observe the ceasefire on the frontline,
according to the commitments they assumed, and refrain from any public
statements that may lead to exacerbating the tensions, as well as to
prepare the peoples of both countries for an agreement that may be
reached through negotiations and would require mutual compromises.”
The co-chairs also said that resumption of hostilities would hamper a
long-term settlement of the Garabagh conflict and lead to considerable
human casualties, destruction, an inflow of refugees, and economic
crisis.*