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OSCE Chairperson-in-Office, Swedish Foreign Minister Ann Linde has once again called on Azerbaijan to release Armenian prisoners of war (POWs), resume the negotiations under the auspices of the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs and achieve a political settlement to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, Armenpress reports.

During a press conference today, commenting on the view that the Armenian society is disappointed with the OSCE’s passive position during the 2020 Nagorno-Karabak war and asked whether she shares the view of Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev who says that the NK conflict is solved, Ann Linde said: “I don’t agree that the OSCE doesn’t make a lot of efforts for the conflict settlement, for what is happening in Nagorno-Karabakh. I have a special representative who is very active. I personally met with him yesterday to discuss the situation. We have an OSCE Minsk Group co-chairmanship, co-chaired by US, Russia and France which try to make very positive steps.” 

She added that the co-chairs, however, had a limited access to the region last year because of the pandemic and other reasons.

The OSCE chief reminded that in mid-June there was an agreement to return 15 Armenian prisoners of war from Azerbaijan, and Armenia provided Azerbaijan with maps aimed at facilitating the demining works. According to her, this is a welcoming step aimed at strengthening trust.

“With my statement I have called on Armenia, Azerbaijan to take a positive step by releasing all remaining detainees and resume the negotiations under the auspices of the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairmanship, and also to find a political solution with the engagement of Andrzej Kasprzyk, because there is no peace agreement yet,” Ann Linde said.