Presidents of Armenia and Azerbaijan participated in the discussions initiated by the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of the countries-Co-Chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group

In the evening of May 16, President of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan and President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliev took part in the discussions initiated by the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of the countries-Co-Chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group. Present at the meeting were also the US Secretary of State John Kerry, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation Sergei Lavrov and State Minister of France for European Affairs Harlem Désir. The meeting was attended also by the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of the two countries Edward Nalbandian and Elmar Mamedyarov, Ambassadors Igor Popov (Russia), James Warlick (USA), Pierre Andrieu (France) and Personal Representative of the OSCE Chairman-in-Office Ambassador Andrzej Kasprzyk.

Discussed was the tense situation resulting from the blatant violation of ceasefire in the NK conflict zone which took place at the beginning of April and possibilities to find way out from the existing situation. The representatives of the Co-Chair countries insisted upon the necessity to strictly implement the 1994 agreement on ceasefire and 1995 agreement on the consolidation of ceasefire.

It was agreed to take steps for the monitoring of their implementation, establishment of mechanisms to investigate the ceasefire violations, enforcement of the capabilities of the team of the Personal Representative of the OSCE Chairman-in-Office, and a possible re-start of the negotiations for the resolution of the conflict.

Based on the results of the meeting, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation Sergei Lavrov, Secretary of State John Kerry, and State Minister of France for European Affairs Harlem Désir, who represent countries-Co-Chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group adopted a Joint Declaration.

President Serzh Sargsyan recapped the results of the meetings held in Vienna at the interview with the representatives of the Armenian mass media.