OSCE Minsk Group US Co-Chair Twits His Support Of Putin’s Initiative

OSCE MINSK GROUP US CO-CHAIR TWITS HIS SUPPORT OF PUTIN’S INITIATIVE OF MEETINGS WITH ARMENIAN AND AZERBAIJANI PRESIDENTS

YEREVAN, August 8. /ARKA/. The US Co-chair of OSCE Minsk Group James
Warlick twitted he supported Russian president Vladimir Putin’s
initiative to meet with Armenian and Azerbaijani presidents Serzh
Sargsyan and Ilham Aliev.

‘We urge strict respect for the ceasefire’, Warlick said.

The meetings of the presidents of Russia, Armenia and Azerbaijan
will be held on Saturday August 9 in Sochi. The recent escalation in
Nagorno-Karabakh will be discussed during the meetings.

Azerbaijan has largely intensified its military efforts along the line
of contact with Nagorno-Karabakh Republic (NKR) since the end of July.

Over 25 Azerbaijani and six Karabakh servicemen were killed in the
latest raid operations and attempts by Azerbaijani troops to attack
Karabakh’s positions.

The Karabakh conflict started in 1988 when prevailingly Armenian
population of Nagorno-Karabakh declared withdrawal from Azerbaijan. On
December 10, 1991, a referendum was held in Nagorno-Karabakh where
99.89% voted for independence from Azerbaijan.

Azerbaijan responded by large-scale military operations that led
to loss of control not only over Nagorno-Karabakh itself, but also
over seven adjoining areas. About 25-30 thousands people were killed
and about a million had to leave their homes during the military
operations.

A trilateral cease-fire agreement was signed on May 12, 2004, and
has been followed since then.

The ongoing Karabakh peace process started in 1992 under auspices of
OSCE Minsk Group co-chaired by the USA, Russia and France. -0–

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