A recent OSCE monitoring mission at the Artsakh-Azerbaijan border

YEREVAN—The monitoring missions of the Artsakh-Azerbaijan border, known as the Line of Contact, conducted by the Office of the Personal Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office, Ambassador Andrzej Kasprzyk, are carefully planned and agreed to with the sides, Helene Spitzer, Spokesperson for the OSCE Chairmanship, said in response to media inquiries Tuesday.

“They are conducted with the assistance of military escorts to ensure the safety of all participants,” she added.

“In the preparatory phase, the Personal Representative clearly defines the area in which he would like the monitoring exercise to take place. He chooses locations which provide an opportunity to evaluate the situation,” the Spokesperson said.

A monitoring exercise is considered to be successful if the Personal Representative and his teams are led by the sides to the agreed area, which is confirmed by establishing visual contact. In addition, the Personal Representative and his teams are provided with information through briefings.

“Monitoring exercises are an important confidence building measure. The Personal Representative is continuously exploring other avenues to increase confidence between the sides,” she concluded.

The Office of the Personal Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office periodically conducts monitoring of the lie of contact between the armed forces of Artsakh and Azerbaijan, as well as the Armenian-Azerbaijani border.