Saturday, June 12 2021 16:12

ArmInfo. OSCE Chairperson-in-Office, Swedish Minister for Foreign Affairs Ann  Linde, called on Armenia and Azerbaijan to ease tensions on the  border.

Thus, yesterday, speaking online at the congressional hearing with  the U.S. Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe (the  Helsinki Commission) , referring to the situation on the  Armenian-Azerbaijani border, Linde stated that unresolved issues  remain a serious challenge to international peace and security, as  evidenced by the current growth tensions on the border between  Armenia and Azerbaijan.

In this regard, she pointed to the need to de-escalate the situation  and start a dialogue between the parties to resume the negotiation  process on a sustainable political settlement, in accordance with  international law, to resolve humanitarian needs and human rights  issues.

At the same time, Linde believes that the co-chairmanship of the OSCE  Minsk Group represented by Russia, the United States and France is  the best format for resolving the situation. In this regard, she  expressed full support for the efforts of the MG co-chairs and her  personal representative in efforts to resolve the conflict.

She also pointed to the role of Russia in the ceasefire in  Nagorno-Karabakh. "Russia plays an active role in various sectorss,  for example, in the Nagorno-Karabakh issue. Russia managed to achieve  a ceasefire. I would like to draw attention not only to the  deployment of about 2,000 Russian military personnel, but also to the  fact that the OSCE and the international community must play their  part," she said, expressing hope that the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs  will be able to make progress and come up with creative proposals.