Azerbaijani Deputy Foreign Minister Araz Azimov has harshly criticized James Warlick, the US Co-Chair of the OSCE Minsk Group.

Azimov told APA news agency of Azerbaijan that Baku did not go unnoticed Warlick’s statements. The Azerbaijani official claimed that despite the statements of Mr. Warlick regarding the importance of the neutrality of co-chairs, his own activity runs contrary to it.

“Baku did not go unnoticed Warlick’s statements. It is impossible to name differently the fact that the co-chair is spreading rumors about a possible escalation of the conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan.

“Despite the statements of Mr. Warlick regarding the importance of the neutrality of co-chairs, his own activity runs contrary to it.

“We have repeatedly expressed our concern over the activity of the OSCE Minsk Group and statements of the U.S. co-chair. We cannot turn a blind eye to the steps of Mr. Warlick reducing confidence in the Minsk Group, running contrary to the mandate of the co-chairs and undermining the negotiation process.

“All of the aforementioned facts give the Azerbaijani side every reason to distrust the U.S. co-chair of the Minsk Group, refuse working with him and appeal to the OSCE Chairman-in-Office to recall James Warlick from the post of the OSCE Minsk Group co-chair. James Warlick left the Azerbaijani side no other choice,” Araz Azimov stated, in particular.