OSCE: Constructive engagement important for moving forward with peace agreement between Azerbaijan, Armenia

Constructive engagement is important for moving forward with a peace agreement and normalization of ties between Azerbaijan and Armenia, reads the statement released by the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly on the visit of President of the organization Pia Kauma (Finland) and Special Representative on South Caucasus Kari Henriksen (Norway) to Azerbaijan, Report informs.

“In a visit to Azerbaijan that wrapped up today, OSCE Parliamentary Assembly President Pia Kauma (Finland) and Special Representative on South Caucasus Kari Henriksen (Norway) discussed with the nation’s political leadership the need to reach a full settlement with Armenia following the restoration of control of the Karabakh region of Azerbaijan in September.

In a series of meetings in Baku, President Kauma, Special Representative Henriksen and Secretary General Roberto Montella discussed the current situation with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, Speaker of the Milli Majlis Sahiba Gafarova, Deputy Foreign Minister Fariz Rzayev, and the Delegation of Azerbaijan to the OSCE PA, headed by Azay Guliyev,” reads the statement.

Special Representative Henriksen added that now is the time to build upon momentum to forge a full settlement between Azerbaijan and Armenia. “Baku now has an opportunity to show genuine leadership in the interest of establishing a lasting peace,” Henriksen said.

The PA leaders welcomed the stated commitment by the authorities to facilitate returns by ethnic Armenians who had fled the territories. The delegation also took good note of the significant efforts to make the liberated territories safe from landmines, and to move forward with reconstruction and reintegration.

The delegation encouraged continued engagement by the international community with security and humanitarian developments in Azerbaijan.