Joint Statement by Ministers of Foreign Affairs of OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chair Countries

Baku / 05.10.20 / Turan: Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation Sergey Lavrov, Minister for European and Foreign Affairs of France Jean-Yves Le Drian and Secretary of State of the United States of America Michael R. Pompeo, representing the countries - co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group, most decisively condemn the unprecedented and dangerous escalation of violence in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict zone and beyond, according to a statement published on the evening of October 5 on the website of the Russian Foreign Ministry.

The Ministers unequivocally stress that recent attacks, allegedly targeting civilian targets, both along the contact line and in the territories of Azerbaijan and Armenia outside the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict zone, as well as the disproportionality of such attacks pose an unacceptable threat to stability in the region.

Referring to the statement of the leaders of the three countries - the co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group on October 1, this year, the Ministers once again call on the parties to the conflict to immediately and unconditionally establish a ceasefire.

The Co-Chair countries are determined to fully implement the mandate given to them by the OSCE and the international community, with the support of the Minsk Group member countries. In accordance with this mandate, they will continue to consistently build up interaction with the parties, urging them to immediately assume obligations to resume the settlement process on the basis of existing basic principles and relevant international documents that are well known to both sides, the document says.

Note that prior to the publication of the document, Sergei Lavrov held telephone conversations with the Foreign Ministers of Azerbaijan and Armenia. -02B-