The Co-Chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group (Ambassadors Igor Popov of the Russian Federation, James Warlick of the United States of America, and Pierre Andrieu of France), together with the Personal Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office Ambassador Andrzej Kasprzyk, traveled to the region from 23 to 25 October 2016.
The Co-Chairs met with the Presidents and Foreign Ministers of Azerbaijan and Armenia, Armenia's newly appointed Defence Minister, and de facto authorities in Nagorno-Karabakh. The purpose of the Co-Chairs' visit was to discuss the situation after the unprecedented violence last April, and to clarify positions on the negotiation process.
During the meetings, the sides confirmed that the situation on the ground remains relatively calm. The Co-Chairs underscored that respect for the ceasefire provides a critical foundation for ongoing negotiations, and stressed the importance of fully implementing decisions taken in Vienna and St. Petersburg.
The Co-Chairs also discussed current working proposals to advance substantive negotiations towards a lasting peace. The Presidents each expressed their views on how to move the settlement process forward. The Presidents also reaffirmed their agreement to expand the Office of the Personal Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office, and operational details are still being discussed.
The Co-Chairs plan to meet with the Ministers including on the margins of the December 2016 OSCE Ministerial Council meeting in Hamburg to discuss a possible meeting of the Presidents at the earliest opportunity. Such a dialogue at the highest level is necessary to make progress towards a settlement.
While in the region, the Co-Chairs also met with the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) to discuss the work the organization has undertaken on the exchange of data on missing persons, a humanitarian measure which the Co-Chairs have fully supported in meetings with officials at all levels. -02D-
Politics
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Mammadov's fate remains uncertain in Georgia, where authorities have denied him political asylum. He moved to Georgia in 2017, having previously engaged in public and human rights activities in Azerbaijan but left the country due to fears of persecution.
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On October 18, the third meeting of the "3+3" platform will be held, the Turkish TV channel TRT reported, citing Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan. According to Hakan Fidan, the meeting, aimed at promoting peace, stability, and cooperation in the South Caucasus, will include the foreign ministers of Azerbaijan, Armenia, Iran, and Russia.
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According to a statement from the Ministry of Defense's press service on October 15, the Azerbaijani army is establishing units composed of recruits with high intellectual capabilities. After completing the basic training program, these recruits will continue their service in special units.
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According to the press service of the General Prosecutor's Office of Azerbaijan, French citizen Cedric Michel, accused by Luxembourg authorities of economic crimes, and Turkish citizen Oguz Atalay, accused by Romanian authorities of forming an organized crime group and illegal migrant smuggling, were placed on international wanted lists and arrested in Azerbaijan.
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