The statement issued by the OSCE Minsk Group after the meeting of the Armenian and Azerbaijani Foreign Ministers in Krakow, says that 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. Armenian News-NEWS.am sent an inquiry to Personal Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office Ambassador Andrzej Kasprzyk clarify the expansion of the mandate and its functions.

When can we expect completion of this work and can proceed to practical steps?

The principle of the expansion of the Office of the Personal Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office (PRCiO) on the conflict dealt with by the OSCE Minsk Conference was accepted by the Presidents of Armenia and Azerbaijan during the 2016 summit meetings in Vienna and St. Petersburg. My mandate is to provide support to the sides with confidence-building measures. I welcome the Presidents’ decision and I remain in constant contact with the OSCE Chairmanship, the Co-Chairs, and the sides, to help take this initiative forward in a constructive way.

How many people may the expanded team include? Will their functions change?

The expanded team would include a number of international staff members. These additional staff members would undertake the same tasks as the current field assistants of the PRCiO.

Will there be any changes in frequency and duration of the monitoring?

Having additional staff would offer the potential for the Office of the PRCiO to increase the frequency of monitoring exercises.

What do you think will the expansion of the Office contribute to preserving stability?

The expansion of the team of the PRCiO could be considered as a confidence-building measure, which could contribute to a reduction in tension in front line areas and increased stability. Any measure that reduces tension on the front lines and casualties is something that I support.