Armenia will continue its efforts towards the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict exclusively through peaceful means, Armenian FM Edward Nalbandian said addressing the 19th Meeting of the OSCE Ministerial Council in Dublin.

In his speech, Nalbandian noted that Azerbaijan poses a threat to the security of the region by constantly menacing to use force against Nagorno-Karabakh and Armenia.  

“Despite the intensive efforts of the three Co-Chair countries during the last 4 years: 15 summits, several dozens of meetings on ministerial level, several dozens of visits of the three Co-Chairs to the region, it has been impossible to reach a breakthrough in the conflict resolution, because the Azerbaijani side rejected one after another all proposals presented by the mediators,” he said.

“Despite the reached agreement to accelerate accord on the Basic Principles for a Settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, confirmed by Los Cabos Statement, Azerbaijan by its maximalist approaches is seeking one sided advantage in the negotiating process and is doing everything possible to neglect, even to reject this agreement.”

Edward Nalbandian stressed that Azerbaijan is carrying out continuous campaign against the Minsk Group Co-Chairs, trying to take the negotiation process out of this format and rejecting all proposals.

He reminded of flagrant cases of racism, intolerance and violations of human rights and  of hatred against Armenians recorded in Azerbaijan.

“The latest such case is the Azeri government’s release and glorification of the murderer Safarov, who had slaughtered with an axe Armenian officer in his sleep, during a NATO program in Budapest simply because he was Armenian. The Azerbaijani leadership made him a symbol of national pride and an example to follow by youth. The world reaction was unanimous in condemning what was done by Baku, which has seriously undermined the Nagorno-Karabakh negotiation process and endangered the fragile regional stability,” he added.