Azerbaijan started putting forward preconditions for the increase of the number of OSCE observers on the contact line of Azerbaijani and Armenian troops.

“Certain conditions must be fulfilled before increasing the number of OSCE observers,” deputy speaker of the Azerbaijani parliament Ziyafat Asgarov said.

 “Moreover, although a technical procedure, increasing the number of observers, I think this issue can only be discussed if aimed at finding a substantive solution to the Azerbaijan-Armenia Nagorno-Karabakh conflict,” APA agency quotes Asgarov.

 “But at the same time, I think that both the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs and Armenia should undertake to ensure that Yerevan does not pursue an insidious goal to maintain the status quo in this matter. Because each time, when a concrete result on the conflict resolution is reached, Armenia avoids negotiations and maintains the status quo. Although I’m convinced that Armenia still thinks so. Therefore, I think that they should take the obligation not to preserve the status quo in this matter. I think that only in this case it is worth discussing this issue,” he added.    

The statement adopted by the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs following the meeting of Armenian-Azerbaijani foreign ministers in Krakow said: “The Foreign Ministers agreed in principle to the Co-Chairs' revised concept paper for implementing the expansion of the Office of the Personal Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office with a view toward finalizing it as soon as possible.”