ArmInfo. Official Baku has responded to the statement made by the Foreign Ministers of the OSCE MG co-chairing countries.
"The December 8 statement by the MG co-chairing countries reaffirms that the current situation is unacceptable and dangerous, and at any time can lead to an escalation, it also envisages the steps that must be taken for a gradual settlement of the conflict, the first of which is the liberation of districts adjacent to Nagorno-Karabakh region and ensuring the return of forcibly displaced persons to their native lands. The Azerbaijani side has repeatedly stated that the unlawful presence of Armenian Armed Forces in Nagorno Karabakh remains the main reason of tension in the conflict zone and is the major obstacle to a political solution", Hikmat Hajiyev, Spokesman for Azerbaijan's Foreign Ministry stated today, APA reports.
At the same time he stressed that April events have once again demonstrated the inadmissibility of the status quo. "The international community, particularly the OSCE MG co-chairing countries have repeatedly stated the inadmissibility and non-sustainability of the status quo in Karabakh conflict. He pointed out that the first step to change the status quo is the withdrawal of Armenian troops. Baku appreciates the substantive high-level talks in Vienna, especially in St. Petersburg, as a positive step in the right direction, noted the ministry spokesman.
"As mentioned in the co-chairs' statement, Azerbaijan now is in favor of resolving the conflict and restoring peace in the region through substantive negotiations on the basis of the working proposals on the agenda," said Hajiyev. "However, Armenia, in order to avoid substantive negotiations, puts forward the conditions and reasons, avoids meetings, undermines the agreements reached in Vienna and St. Petersburg, escalates the situation on the frontline and pursues a policy of disrupting the peace process", Hajiyev said.
At the same time he stressed that the OSCE Minsk Group (MG) co-chairing countries should take the necessary measures to ensure Armenia's constructive participation in the negotiations on the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.
To note, the Heads of Delegation of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chair countries - Foreign Minister of the Russian Federation Sergey Lavrov, Secretary of State of the United States John Kerry, and Foreign Minister of France Jean- Marc Ayrault - issued a joint statement on Dec 8. The statement reads, "We call on Baku and Yerevan to honor the agreements reflected in the Joint Statements of the 16 May Summit in Vienna and the 20 June Summit in St. Petersburg. We welcome the sides' progress in implementing the exchange of data on missing persons under the auspices of the International Committee of the Red Cross. We urge the parties to remove all remaining obstacles to expanding the mission of the Personal Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office and to make progress on a proposal to establish an OSCE investigative mechanism. The proposals should be implemented together with the immediate resumption of negotiations on a settlement. We would like to reiterate our call to the leaders of Armenia and Azerbaijan to demonstrate flexibility and to return to the negotiation table with the firm aim of moving toward a sustainable peace on the basis of the current working proposals. Unless progress can be made on negotiations, the prospects for renewed violence will only increase, and the parties will bear full responsibility."