VIENNA—International mediators from the US, France and Russia working to resolve the Nagorno-Karabakh Conflict completed an assessment mission to the liberated Armenian territories surrounding the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic on Thursday, a statement by the OSCE Minsk Group said Thursday.
The field assessment mission, organized by the OSCE Minsk Group, was conducted by the Co-Chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group, Ambassadors Bernard Fassier of France, Robert Bradtke of the United States, and Igor Popov of the Russian Federation. It also included “technical experts” from the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR).
“The Mission provided an important opportunity for the Co-Chairs to meet with numerous people on the ground and familiarize themselves with the overall current situation in the territories, in all aspects, including humanitarian needs,” the statement said.
“The unprecedented participation of technical experts from the UNHCR allowed the Mission team to understand better the rights, within the framework of international humanitarian law, of all refugees and displaced persons in the region and the conditions now facing those living in these territories,” it added.
The week-long working trip concluded began on October 7 and concluded Thursday. The co-chairs announced their intention to “observe the humanitarian situation” in these territories in early September.
They then met separately on October 6 with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and Armenian President Serge Sarkisian to discuss the details of the mission. They also met on October 7 with the authorities of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic in Stepanakert.
In talks with Sarkisian, the troika promised to try to visit a medieval Armenian cemetery in the Azeri controlled Armenian territory of Nakhichevan destroyed by Azerbaijani authorities. They also pledged pay a similar visit to a small part of Karabakh’s territory controlled by Azerbaijan “in the next stage of the monitoring.”
According to Thursday’s statement, the Co-Chairs will work with the UNHCR experts to “compile the information gathered during their mission” and prepare an internal OSCE report to be “shared with all sides.”
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In my opinon Armenia and the Artsakh Republic have two major challenges:
!- Politically: In couple years some forces within EU and oil lobby would try to convince Armenian that the Artsakh Republic. should remain within Azerbaijan, because Azerbaijan has become more “democratic” and is trustworthy partner for “EU” and so on – Some foreign foundations (“modern and democratic missionaries”) such as “Konrad-Adenauer foundation or “Friedrich-Naumann fundation” and many other are doing plenty of job within our society and universities in this direction , some RA ”journalists /news papiers” indeed have stated publishing articles in Armenian news media , as if they were godfather and president of European union and trying create wrong expectations andmislead the society (they got aid to do some job..) … Therefore its important that the Artsakh Republic makes its voice hear and become more active and independent (but integrated) form Yerevan and remain an important player! In this case the Artsakh Republic could refer to situation in Belgian, Spain UK/Nor Ireland (there are many other cases within EU/in Europe), all these countries are even member of EU but there are ethnics , who do demand respect for self-determination a.. Beside this: If EU were right with argument that “democracy” is the answer to all questions, why this is not possible to “restore” the territorial integrity of Serbia and even former Yugoslavia? Serbia could join EU having Kosovo as part of Serbia…..
2- Military threat. Secure energy routs are for EU very important and this will be become even more important in the future. I do believe Azerbaijan will try to use its military build up to blackmail first of all EU and US to activate the first option 1 and in second step to put an “ultimatum” to Armenia / Artsakh Republic and start treating with a modern “Hi-Tech War” … Recognition of the Artsakh Republic and balance of military power should be in interest of EU /US and even Iran and Russian Federation..
Dear Asbarez, there is an error in the following phrase:
“[L]iberated Armenian territories surrounding the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic”
While you rightly call them “liberated Armenian territories”, they do not surround the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic, they encompass it. The NKR is in fact the liberated territories + the former Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Oblast. The phrase would have been better if it was worded like this:
“liberated Armenian territories within the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic” or “liberated Armenian territories around the former Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Oblast”
Thank you and keep up the good work.
Very informative Ed, thanks.
I dislike LTP (Levon) and his hate full campaign of 2008 but maybe this is the only good /true statement which i have ever hear from him since 1990´
LTP in his demo of October 15 accouding to news.am ..
“the state of corruption in Armenia can lead to complete catastrophe, fraught with unpredictable consequences.” I do agree with Levon …This is indeed more dangourace than war rhetoric coming from Baku!
To my fist comments
Today, Independent Kosovo is being ruled by mafia and other gangs while Serbia has become as democratic as Franc or Germany. Still non of these true “Europeans” and “ freedom fighters” in White House are demanding the return of Kosovo to Serbia .. Authorities in Artsakh Republic should contra systematic propaganda and attempts coming from European organisations as well lobbyists to mislead our people, there are forces, which in deed trying to use (slogans like) “democracy” and “open borders”, “United Caucasus “ etc to keep Artsakh in Azerbaijani borders! …