PARIS (RFE/RL)—The Armenian and Azerbaijani foreign ministers met in the presence of international mediators in Paris on Monday to discuss the latest deadly fighting in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict zone and the future of the stalled peace process.
In a joint statement, the U.S., Russian and French diplomats co-heading the OSCE Minsk Group said the talks took place “in a positive, constructive atmosphere” but announced no concrete agreements.
“The Co-Chairs discussed with the Ministers the way forward on resolving the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, as well as further work on development of humanitarian contacts and the creation of a mechanism to investigate ceasefire violations, and preservation of sites of historic and cultural value,” said the statement.
“The Co-Chairs also reiterated deep concern over recent incidents along the front lines and stressed the need to respect the 1994 ceasefire agreement,” it said. “The Foreign Ministers expressed their determination to continue working with the Co-Chairs to reach a peaceful settlement, and their readiness to carry out confidence-building measures that could improve the atmosphere for negotiations.”
The statement did not specify whether they presented Armenia’s Edward Nalbandian and Azerbaijan’s Elmar Mammadyarov with new proposals to help the conflicting parties bridge their differences on the Basic Principles of a Karabakh settlement put forward by the mediators.
The Paris talks came two weeks after at least nine Azerbaijani and Armenian soldiers were shot dead in truce violations along the Armenian-Azerbaijani border and around Karabakh. Baku and Yerevan have blamed each other for the deadly incidents amid mounting international concerns about a renewed war.
Aa usual another bs statement!!
Armenia and the NKR need to build a defensive wall to protect against Azeri snipers and Azeri commandos.They need better border fortifications including bunkers and minefields. A trench is not enough to defend territory.
Armenia and the Armenian diaspora must really do as much as they can to enhance Russian-Armenian relations and to promote more integration of Armenian and Russian military facilities such as building Russian bases in the NKR and Armenia.Russia is the only true ally of Armenia.
Corrupt Aliyev and his family is a big problem
The diferences are too great and insurmountable. So, as the years drag on, The new generations will no longer know about living under the Muslim yoke, and even less likely to submit to it. In the meantime, talk is cheap. Armenia can afford to talk. Lets talk into the next century. By then, when the tainted leaders of the previous regimes are dead and gone, only then, when we will be a powerhouse of the Caucasus, with Nuclear energy to spare, a thriving electronics and communication center, a source of the scarcest commodity to man, WATER, only then we will be able to negotiate effectively. For now, let’s talk. It costs nothing.
Throughout history, two Armenian states have existed namely, Armenia and Cilicia. These two Armenian countries have co-existed and we need to recreate this model . Cilicia can serve as an industrial production area. Armenia can negotiate with Russia to buy a Russian Island in exchange for land in the Armenian republic ..Russia can feel secure by having a permanent territory in the south Caucuses.
An alternative model can be to buy a Greek Island to create Cilicia.Greece is in a major economic crisis and this is a grand opportunity to negotiate with the Greeks to buy one of the Greek Islands The Greek economy is in a horrible crisis and the Armenian organizations should negotiate and raise funds to buy a Greek Island. The Greek people are suffering terribly and this can be a win-win situation for the Armenians and the Greeks. The new country of Cilicia can bring prosperity to Armenia.
The announcement of official Baku regarding its paln to use snipers and other provocations at border with Armenia and line of contact between NKR and Azerbaijan – despite agreed ceasefire regime – is the best prove that Azerbaijan is in no way trustworthy- today less than in 80´s or 90s!!!
Give the t that Baku has announced to continue to use the snipers and other provocations to blackmail Armenia, NKR and international community, Armenia should announce the suspending of talks for an unified time. What the regime in Baku is doing , as if NKR and Armenia would have agreed on one hand to ceasefire and still would have tried to continue fighting and advance to kure river in 1993 !°