OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs to visit Nagorno-Karabakh to strengthen ceasefire

YEREVAN - The upcoming visit by Co-chairs of OSCE Minsk Group from Russia and France to Nagorno-Karabakh is aimed at preventing violations of the ceasefire and further escalation of long-term conflict, Armenian Armenian Deputy Foreign Minister Shavarsh Kocharyan said Wednesday.

Igor Popov from Russia and Pierre Andrieu from France will visit the Karabakh conflict zone to familiarize with the situation after the warring parties reached a cease-fire agreement.

"They did not come to make any statements, their only task is to strengthen the cease-fire," said Kocharyan.

OSCE Permanent Council held Tuesday an emergency meeting in Vienna, discussed the armed conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh and called on parties to comply with the ceasefire.

The co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group decided to visit Karabakh conflict region.

They are planning meet with Baku, Yerevan and Stepanakert officials.

Armenia and Azerbaijan have been locked in a bitter dispute over the mountainous region of Nagorno-Karabakh. Conflict first broke out in 1988, when the enclave dominated by ethnic Armenians claimed independence from Azerbaijan and declared to join Armenia.

Peace talks have been held since 1994 when a ceasefire was reached, but there have been occasional minor clashes.