US Ambassador to Minsk Group, James Warlick. (Source: Armenpress)

YEREVAN (Armenpress) — According to U.S. Co-chair of the OSCE Minks Group James Warlick, the Minsk Group Co-chairs will submit proposals on the opportunities for reducing the risk of border clashes and for promoting the dialogue in the Karabakh-Azerbaijani contact line and on Armenian-Azerbaijani border. He explained about this proposal when referring to the possible visit to the region and the organization of the possible meeting between the presidents of Armenia and Azerbaijan.

In a conversation with Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian, Warlick mentioned that the Co-chairs do not have any immediate plans to visit the region, but plan to do so in the near future. “Our aim is to discuss opportunities to move negotiations on a settlement forward. We will also raise proposals to reduce the risk of violence and possibilities to promote dialogue,” said Warlick.

When Warlick was asked to comment on the results of the PACE session, where two Anti-Armenian reports were discussed and one was passed, he said, “We do not object to a discussion of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict in regional and international organizations, and we support Azerbaijan and Armenia’s right to raise the issue as they choose.” The Co-Chairs wanted to emphasize that the Minsk Group remains the negotiation format accepted by the sides. We hope Armenia and Azerbaijan will remain fully committed to working closely with the Co-Chairs on a negotiated settlement,” added Warlick.

Nalbandian then touched upon Azerbaijan’s discontent and the steps they take to change the format of the Minks Group. Warlick responded by saying, “The Co-Chairs serve in our capacity as mediators at the request of the sides. We will continue our efforts to help mediate a lasting settlement as long as the sides believe our services our helpful. It is the Presidents who must demonstrate the political will necessary to bring about a settlement.”

Warlick later stressed that the two presidents play a vital role in settling the entire conflict and that the Minks Group would like to continue to pursue intensified dialogue with more structured negotiations in order to make lasting progress.