Acting Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan greets the OSCE Minks Group co-chairs and Permanent Representative of the OSCE Chairman in Office Andrzej Kasprzyk (foreground)

YEREVAN—The OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs were in Yerevan on Monday and met with Acting Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, Acting Foreign Minister Zohrab Mnatsakanyan and Acting Defense Minister David Tonoyan to discuss the ongoing efforts to resolve the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

Co-chairs Igor Popov of Russia, Stephane Visconti of France, and Andrew Schofer of the United States, as well as the Personal Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office Andrzej Kasprzyk met with the three Armenian leaders and announced that their plan to travel to Stepanakert to hold talks with Artsakh leaders.

Pashinyan emphasized the need for all parties to the conflict to demonstrate constructive attitudes toward the conflict resolution process and adhering to agreements reached by all sides during the negotiations.

The Co-chairs discussed the agreement reached between Pashinyan and Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev earlier this month in Dushanbe, Tajikistan where the two discussed setting up direct communications mechanisms.

Pashinyan highlighted the need to implement agreements that, he said, will foster the creation of an atmosphere aimed at elevating mutual confidence and advance the peace process.

The sides exchanged ideas over the meetings that have taken place around the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and the visits of the Co-Chairs to the region after the formation of the new government in Armenia.

The agreement between Pashinyan and Aliyev also was a topic of discussion when the co-chairs met with Acting Foreign Minister Mnatsakanyan, who also reiterated that the accord aimed at developing and encouraging an atmosphere of peace.

Mnatsakanyan, however, also emphasized the imperative to condemn and reject “belligerent and destructive” rhetoric since it continues.

During the meeting with Acting Defense Minister Tonoyan, the co-chairs were briefed about the military situation on the borders between Armenia and Azerbaijan and Artsakh and Azerbaijan

The Dushanbe agreement was also discussed with Tonoyan calling on the co-chairing countries to establish similar mechanisms on other fronts.

Tonoyan briefed the mediators on frontline monitoring efforts by Armenia, saying that Yerevan’s motives are to unconditionally maintain the cease fire and prevent cross-border incidents and reducing risks of military flare-ups.