The OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs, mediating a solution to the Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict, have ended a trip to the occupied areas around Karabakh.
The mediators said in a statement that they would compile a report on the mission which would be made available to all sides.
The co-chairs, Ambassadors Bernard Fassier of France, Robert Bradtke of the United States, and Igor Popov of the Russian Federation, "carried out their planned field assessment mission to the occupied territories surrounding Nagorno-Karabakh", the statment said.
"This mission took place 7-13 October 2010, along modalities they had previously discussed with all sides involved. The co-chairs' mission was supported by the OSCE personal representative of the chairman-in-office, Ambassador Andrzej Kasprzyk, and his staff, working with de facto local authorities. On the co-chairs' invitation, three technical experts, including two from the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR), assisted them in their tasks."
While the OSCE mediators visit Nagorno-Karabakh quite often, the occupied Azerbaijani territory around Karabakh is rarely visited by international representatives
"Prior to undertaking their mission, the co-chairs met separately on 6 October 2010 with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and Armenian President Serge Sargsyan to present details of the mission and introduce their team. They also had a similar meeting on 7 October 2010 with the de facto authorities in Stepanakert/Khankendi," the co-chairs' statement said.
"The mission provided an important opportunity for the co-chairs to meet with numerous people on the ground and familiarize themselves with the overall current situation in the territories, in all aspects, including humanitarian needs. The unprecedented participation of technical experts from the UNHCR allowed the mission team to understand better the rights, within the framework of international humanitarian law, of all refugees and displaced persons in the region and the conditions now facing those living in these territories.
"The co-chairs, with input from the experts, are now compiling the information gathered during their mission. After completing this work, they will prepare an internal OSCE report, which will be shared with all sides."
News.Az
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