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Belarus is ready to host a conference (negotiations) on the Nagorno-Karabakh problem. Belarusian Foreign Minister Vladimir Makei made the statement during the meeting with Co-Chairs of the Minsk Group of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe on 12 March, BelTA reported.

The press service of the Belarusian Foreign Ministry quoted Vladimir Makei as saying: “I would like to confirm our readiness to host peace talks on Nagorno-Karabakh at the time specified by the relevant OSCE resolutions. If necessary, we could also provide the venue for the final stage of the negotiation process on working out a comprehensive peace agreement.”

The Belarusian Foreign Minister also remarked he was glad to welcome the Minsk Group co-chairs and the personal representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office on the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. Vladimir Makei mentioned their visit to Minsk as historic.

“Belarus resolutely supports OSCE efforts in favor of stepping up regional security and stability, finding peaceful solutions to resolve existing and long-drawn conflicts, including the Nagorno-Karabakh one. We are ready to make our own contribution the way we did within the framework of the Ukrainian crisis,” stated Vladimir Makei. The Belarusian Foreign Minister went on saying that Belarus shares the vision of the Minsk Group co-chairs on ways to resolve the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

Belarus fully agrees with the idea that as a priority it is now necessary to reduce tensions along the conflict line in order to avoid human casualties. “Belarus highly appreciates the incessant effort on the part of Minsk Group co-chairs and the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office. The efforts are of primary importance not only for the sake of restoring security in the conflict zone but also for enabling favorable conditions for top-level contacts,” stressed the Minister.

Apart from that, Vladimir Makei stated that Belarus welcomes the intensification of contacts between leaders of Armenia and Azerbaijan. Belarus maintains close friendly relations with both countries, including contacts at the level of the heads of state. The fact could be useful for advancing the peace process.

The press service of the Belarusian Foreign Ministry specified that on 12 March Vladimir Makei met with co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group: Igor Popov of the Russian Federation, James Warlick of the United States of America, and Pierre Andrieu of France. They were joined by personal representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office Andrzej Kasprzyk. The co-chairs and the personal representative informed the Belarusian Foreign Minister about the situation in the conflict zone and the development of the negotiation process. Prospects of future cooperation were discussed, including Belarus' possible assistance with the settlement process.