OSCE shall have the ability to investigate violations of the ceasefire: Statement by OSCE Minsk Group Co-chairs
The Co-Chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group (Ambassadors Igor Popov of the Russian Federation, James Warlick of the United States of America, and Pierre Andrieu of France), together with the Personal Representative of the OSCE Chairman-in-Office Ambassador Andrzej Kasprzyk have issued an official statement available at the website of OSCE, following their regional trip on October 26-28 and meetings held in Armenia, Nagorno Karabakh, and Azerbaijan.
The statement notes that “immediately after a routine crossing of the Line of Contact by the Co-Chairs, repeated gunfire from an undetermined location forced OSCE monitors to take cover. The sides have made an obligation to guarantee the safety of monitoring personnel. This incident represents a deliberate effort to undermine progress towards a settlement. It also underscores the need for the OSCE to have the ability to investigate violations of the ceasefire”.
The statement notes that the Presidents of Armenia and Azerbaijan 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.