YEREVAN. – The OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs are keen on showing they are stepping up efforts to resolve Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, Deputy Director of Strategic Culture Foundation Andrei Areshev told Armenian News-NEWS.am. He commented on Russian Co-Chair Igor Popov’s statement that the process around Nagorno-Karabakh has intensified and one can expect quick results.

“Perhaps it is a common diplomatic formula, aimed at demonstrating the efforts and expected results. However, the peace process still continues on incompatible basis,” Arehsev emphasized.

According to the expert, envisaged progress is a consequence of the Deauville statement, in which the U.S., Russian and French presidents stressed they are waiting for progress in the negotiation process.

As Armenian News-NEWS.am reported earlier, the international mediators on Karabakh are on a visit to the region. The OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs have arrived Nagorno-Karabakh from Azerbaijan. A regular monitoring in the contact line between the armed forced of Azerbaijan and Nagorno-Karabakh took place on Tuesday.

The Foreign Ministers of Armenia, Azerbaijan and Russia will meet in Moscow on June 11.

Presidents of Russia, France and Armenia issued a joint statement on Nagorno-Karabakh within the framework of G8 Summit, on May 26.

“We, the Presidents of the OSCE Minsk Group’s Co-Chair countries -- France, the Russian Federation, and the United States of America -- are convinced the time has arrived for all the sides to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict to take a decisive step towards a peaceful settlement.”

“We reiterate that only a negotiated settlement can lead to peace, stability, and reconciliation, opening opportunities for regional development and cooperation.  The use of force created the current situation of confrontation and instability.  Its use again would only bring more suffering and devastation, and would be condemned by the international community.  We strongly urge the leaders of the sides to prepare their populations for peace, not war.”

The meeting between Armenian, Russian and Azerbaijani Presidents in Kazan is scheduled for late June.