Baku. Malahat Najafova – APA. There is a positive note in the recent statement of the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs that presidents of Azerbaijan and Armenia agreed and confirmed their commitment to meet. It is important if they manage to meet and to discuss the key elements of the settlement process and other issues, said the statement made by the Permanent Mission of the Republic of Azerbaijan to the OSCE during the 1073rd meeting of the Permanent Council.
“The second element I wish to underline is the attempt of the Co-Chairmen to reestablish the dialogue at the level of the communities, who are primarily affected by the conflict. I encourage them to find the opportunity to allow the discussions of their future in the region and secondly to support programs that could bring Armenians and Azerbaijanis together. I think that those two tracks complement each other and we have to continue efforts to produce results and at least have meetings between the communities and between Armenians and Azerbaijanis.
There is also reference to the meeting with the ICRC representative in Yerevan. I do not know in general the results of that meeting, but at least the Co-Chairs discussed the implementation of the agreement which was achieved at the level of the Presidents of France, Azerbaijan and Armenia on the exchange of the data on the missing 2 persons. If we also manage to move forward on this issue it would be of help both for the process and for the peace efforts.
Last point, which I identified, is the security in the region and security along the line of contact. I agree that the use of heavy weapons, mortars and rocket launchers is a testimony to the fact that the conflict is not over, the war is ongoing and occupation is still continuing. What we need to do is to eliminate the military factor. We have to channel our efforts to move beyond this status quo. That is what has been repeatedly called by the Presidents of Co-chairing countries, by the OSCE and international community. The way to shake this status quo is to eliminate the military factor. The only military factor remaining in the territory is the presence of the Armenian troops. If Armenian Government is serious of the danger and incidents along the Line of Contact they have to withdraw their troops and people could at least feel safer in those territories,” says the statement.