OSCE MG Co-chair: Time has come for serious high-level talks in Karabakh conflict settlement

Baku. 10 May. REPORT.AZ/ The possibility of launching military operations on the contact line between Armenia and Azerbaijan worries all mediators of the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. Report informs, the OSCE Minsk Group Co-chair from the United States, Richard Hoagland said in his interview with the Voice of America.

R. Hoagland noted with regret that the incidents between the two sides of the conflict are still occurring.

At the same time, US co-chair reminded that Moscow meeting of Azerbaijani and Armenian foreign ministers on April 28 has stated that the conflict should be resolved peacefully and "we must hope for it." R. Hoagland also noted that the time has come for serious high-level talks "to once and for all solve the problem."

Answering question whether the contradictions between the US and Russia will impede to resolve the conflict, R. Hoagland expressed confidence that the two countries will work in this direction: "Relations between the US and Russia will not affect this process."

R. Hogland also commented on statements of a number of experts that Russia is interested in preserving conflict in Karabakh and that the US should be actively involved in the settlement: "I assure that Russia does not want a conflict between Azerbaijan and Armenia. Of course, interests of the US and Russia will differ, but that does not mean that we can not solve problems together, I agree with the view that the US should be actively involved in the process. We have a new administration at present. Washington is still considering different versions of foreign policy. Let's wait a bit and see what happens."

Speaking about the possibility of organizing a meeting between parties to the conflict by the US President Donald Trump’s administration, the diplomat said that this is possible, "but in the peace process, main negotiations depend on the high-ranking officials of the two countries."