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During their visit to Baku the OSCE Minsk Group Co-chairs met with leaders of the so-called Azerbaijani community of Nagorno Karabakh.

According to Report.az, the meeting was attended by the OSCE Minsk Group Co-chairs James Warlick of the U.S., Pierre Andrieu of France and Igor Popov of Russia, as well as Personal Representative of the OSCE Chairman-in-Office Andrzej Kasprzyk.
APA news agency reported that US Co-chair James Warlick said the younger generation of the conflicting parties has had no opportunity to get to know each other.

“One of our purposes is to present such information to both sides. We got acquainted with good people who are truly seeking peace. They want to live in safety. We also became familiar with the Armenians who don’t consider Azerbaijan as enemy. The peaceful solution of the conflict depends on our joint work. One of our general duties is to achieve the convergence of the sides and strengthening of confidence-building measures”, said the U.S. diplomat.

In his words, at the meetings the OSCE Minsk Group also raised the important issue of grassroots diplomacy.
The Russian Co-chair Igor Popov considered the meeting fruitful. “We are today completing our regional visit. In Armenia we discussed the political processes, heightened tensions on the line of contact, and establishment of humanitarian cooperation. We hope that the presidents will meet soon”. Popov stressed that at the end of the visit they will make a statement that will give answers to many questions. According to him, despite differences with the U.S. and French colleagues over international issues, they are unanimous over the Nagorno Karabakh problem.

French Co-chair Pierre Andrieu was reported by APA as saying that they realize the importance of the refugee factor in the conflict settlement. “We discuss that issue at each meeting. During meetings with ICRC we put forward the initiative of determining the number and identities of those killed in the Karabakh war. This process is underway in both Azerbaijan and Armenia”.
The OSCE Minsk Group Co-chairs are now on a visit to Baku. Earlier they visited Yerevan and Nagorno Karabakh. In Yerevan they met with Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan and discussed the current stage of talks on a peaceful settlement to the Karabakh conflict and further steps. President of the Nagorno Karabakh Republic Bako Sahakyan also received the Co-chairs on October 27. Issues related to the situation on the borders and settlement of the Azerbaijani-Karabakh conflict were addressed at the meeting.