The OSCE Secretary General, Lamberto Zannier, on an official visit to Armenia today, stressed the importance of strict observance of the ceasefire on the border between Armenia and Azerbaijan and on the Line of Contact as a prerequisite for reaching a peaceful solution of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, and pledged the OSCE's continued support to Armenia in its reforms.
Zannier said the OSCE fully supported the process facilitated by the Minsk Group Co-Chairs and the efforts of the OSCE Chairperson's Personal Representative in negotiating a peaceful settlement of the conflict. He voiced his concern at the developments on the Line of Contact and on the border between Armenia and Azerbaijan, especially the targeting of civilians living close to the front lines.
"There is a clear need to immediately implement measures that would stabilize the worrying situation and prevent the unacceptable further loss of lives," he said after his meeting with Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandyan. "It is essential for both sides to abstain from retaliatory measures that would lead to further escalation and to remove snipers from the Line of Contact - this is the message I also delivered in Baku."
Zannier stressed that promoting confidence-building measures, including people-to-people contacts, between the conflict sides, as agreed by the Presidents of Armenia and Azerbaijan in Sochi, was a priority for the OSCE. The Secretary General said that the 20 years of Armenia's participation in the CSCE/OSCE marked this year was "an important milestone" and welcomed the reform path that the country had embarked upon.
"The OSCE stands ready to fully support the country in its profound regulatory, economic, police, judicial, and democratic reforms, including through the OSCE Office in Yerevan which has been closely involved in the reform process," he said.
Welcoming the peaceful conduct of the parliamentary elections of 6 May, Zannier also emphasized the importance of addressing in a timely manner the shortcomings identified by the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights' Election Observation Mission, ahead of next year's presidential elections, in order to "help enhance general confidence in the process".
During his visit, the Secretary General will also meet President Serzh Sargsyan and the Speaker of the National Assembly Hovik Abrahamyan.
The visit to Yerevan completes the trip of the Secretary General to the South Caucasus that started in Baku on 8 and 9 July, followed by a visit to Tbilisi from 9 to 11 July. -0-
Politics
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On January 7, the Baku Court of Grave Crimes began an investigation into the case of the activist of the Popular Front Party of Azerbaijan (PFPA) Mehman Aliyev, who is accused of illegal drug trafficking.
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On January 7, the head of state, Ilham Aliyev, gave an interview to local TV channels. As of 18:00, the content of the interview had not been published.
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In late December, the Nakhchivan Court for Serious Crimes concluded the trial of former Minister of Finance of the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic (NAR), Rafael Aliyev, and former head of the Nakhchivan Customs Committee’s department, Mansur Askerov. Both were accused of embezzling state budget funds in collusion with others. In his testimony, Askerov revealed that illegal fees were being collected for cargo and from passengers. Sahat Habibbeyli, appointed head of Nakhchivan Customs in 2020, had instructed Askerov to include only a portion of the collected funds in the Transport and International Relations (TIR) program.
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The "Republican Alternative" Party (REAL) has proposed a program to reform local governance ahead of the municipal elections on January 29, aiming to expand opportunities for economic activity at the municipal level. The new program has been developed with consideration of the existing economic problems in the country. The government of Azerbaijan seeks to obtain external loans for its projects, the economic feasibility of which raises doubts.
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