The OSCE Minsk Group, co-chaired by the United States, Russia and France, has been mediating the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict since 1992. The co-chairs of the group — Ambassadors Igor Popov of Russia, James Warlick of the United States, and Pierre Andrieu of France, alongside OSCE Personal Representative Andrzej Kasprzyk, visited the region on October 26-28.
"The Presidents confirmed their commitment to hold a summit under the auspices of the Co-Chairs before the end of the year to discuss key elements of a settlement and other issues," a statement issued following the ambassadors' visit reads.
According to the statement, the OSCE ambassadors also held meetings with the Azerbaijani community representatives of Nagorno-Karabakh in Baku and the representative of the International Committee of the Red Cross in Yerevan. The implementation of a data exchange on missing persons was discussed with the representative of the Red Cross.
The conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan erupted in February 1988, after the predominantly Armenian-populated Nagorno-Karabakh autonomous region announced its secession from the Azerbaijan Soviet Socialist Republic. The territory proclaimed itself independent in 1991, prompting a large-scale war that lasted until a Russian-brokered ceasefire was signed in 1994. However, tensions in the region remain high.
