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Today in Basel the Heads of Delegation of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chair countries – Foreign Minister of the Russian Federation Sergey Lavrov, Secretary of State of the United States John Kerry,¬¬ State Secretary for European Affairs of France Harlem Desir, made a joint statement where they noted that downing of a military helicopter along the Line of Contact was an avoidable tragedy, the statement is published on the official site of the OSCE.

“There is no military solution, and we call on the sides to refrain from violence and work actively towards a lasting settlement,” the statement reads.

They condemned the helicopter crash on the contact line, assessing the incident as a tragedy that could have been avoided. “This incident underscored the importance of measures by the sides to reduce tensions, restore trust, and avoid future incidents. We appeal to all sides to demonstrate restraint to prevent further escalation,” the statement reads.

They also expressed regret at the outbreak of violence in the Armenian-Azerbaijani border and the line of contact in the last year. “Military actions in July and August resulted in a significant loss of life, raised tensions and deepened mistrust between the sides,” the statement reads.

They also called on the sides to settle humanitarian issues in the spirit of the Astrakhan statement of October 2010 of the Presidents of Armenia, Azerbaijan and the Russian Federation. The heads of the delegation noted that the three meetings between the Presidents of Armenia and Azerbaijan in 2014 at Sochi, Newport, and Paris have revitalized the most important channel of communication between the sides.

“It is time for the sides to overcome disagreements, restore confidence, and honour their commitment to enter into a negotiating process that can result in a settlement,” the statement reads.

“Negotiations on a comprehensive peace agreement under the auspices of the Co-Chair countries should begin as soon as possible. We remain ready to work closely with the sides to reach a lasting settlement and open a new chapter of peace, but stress that the primary responsibility to end the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict rests with the leaders of Armenia and Azerbaijan,” reads the joint statement.