During his visit to Azerbaijan, the President of the Swiss Confederation, Didier Burkhalter, met the president of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev on Monday.

The talks in Baku focused on the situation in Ukraine and on the conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan concerning Nagorno-Karabakh. President Burkhalter proposed to hold a meeting between the presidents of the two countries marking the start of a structured negotiation process for a peace agreement. At the same time, he appealed for strict compliance with the 1994 ceasefire, says the statement on website of Swiss foreign office.

The conflict over the Nagorno-Karabakh region was the main item of the political discussions that the President of the Swiss Confederation, Didier Burkhalter, conducted in the capital of Azerbaijan, Baku, on the first leg of his trip to the South Caucasus.

In his talks with President Ilham Aliyev, Elmar Mammadyarov, the foreign minister, and Ogtay Asadov, the parliamentary speaker, as well as with representatives of the opposition and civil society, President Burkhalter called for a commitment on all sides to find a solution, saying in his capacity as OSCE Chairperson-in Office.

Specifically, he advocated a new meeting between the presidents of Azerbaijan and Armenia that would mark the starting point of a structured negotiating process on a peace agreement. In addition, he appealed for the consistent implementation of the measures to ensure compliance with the 1994 ceasefire.

“Violent incidents 20 years after the ceasefire are unacceptable to the Swiss OSCE Chairmanship,” President Burkhalter categorically stated. He stressed that the Swiss OSCE Chairmanship was ready and willing to support both sides in their commitment, if desired.

Furthermore, he spoke out in favour of intensified direct contacts between representatives of civil society in both countries as a way to reduce prejudices and promote mutual trust. He also expressed his concern about repressive actions against individuals working for a rapprochement between the two countries.

In addition to questions concerning the work of the OSCE, President Burkhalter also discussed bilateral issues with his counterparts in Baku.