Investigations into incidents on the line of contact under the auspices of the OSCE Minsk Group is a positive step in the Nagorno-Karabakh peace process, Gagik Petrosyan, a member of the Nagorno-Karabakh Parliament, told Armenian News-NEWS.am.

The most appreciable result of such investigations will be Azerbaijan’s withdrawing its snipers from the line of contact under the international community’s pressure. “I do not think the OSCE Minsk Group will take any penitentiary measures against Azerbaijan. But statements may be made, which will force Baku into withdrawing its snipers from the line of contact,” Petrosyan said. He doubts Azerbaijan’s readiness to contribute to impartial investigations into incidents on the line of contact. Investigations would be more effective if Nagorno-Karabakh were involved in the process, the MP said. “But the international community is most sensitive to Stepanakert’s possible involvement in such initiatives. On the other hand, it does not mean that the Mink Group Co-Chairs’ initiative will fail without Nagorno-Karabakh’s participation,” Petrosyan said.

The OSCE MG made an initiative to conduct investigations into incidents on the line of contact following the Armenian-Azerbaijani-Russian presidential meeting in Sochi. With this end in view the OSCE MG Co-Chairs are to arrive in the region next week. Official Yerevan has welcomed the initiative.