OSCE: Azeri, Armenian foreign ministers agree to continue talks

Joint Statement by Heads ofDelegation of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chair Countries and the Foreign Ministersof Azerbaijan and Armenia:

On the occasion of the OSCEMinisterial Council Meeting in Kiev, the Heads of Delegation of the OSCE MinskGroup Co-Chair countries (Foreign Minister of the Russian Federation SergeiLavrov, Minister for European Affairs of France Thierry Repentin, AssistantSecretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs Victoria Nuland) and theForeign Minister of Azerbaijan Elmar Mammadyarov and Foreign Minister ofArmenia Edward Nalbandian agreed to continue working together on a just andpeaceful resolution of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict on the basis what has beenalready achieved.

The Co-Chair Heads of Delegation welcomed the recent resumption of high-leveldialogue between the Presidents of Azerbaijan and Armenia, and expressed theirhope that upcoming meetings will advance the peace process.  Theyencouraged the sides to consider measures that would reduce tensions in theregion.

The Foreign Ministers of Azerbaijan and Armenia agreed to meet again in early2014 under the auspices of the Minsk Group Co-Chairs, in order to facilitatefurther talks at the highest level.  The Ministers noted that the peopleof the region expect and deserve progress in settlement of the conflict thathas endured far too long, and expressed their appreciation for the mediationrole of the Co-Chair countries.

ANN.Az