International mediators say the time for taking confidence-building measures has come for the parties to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

Speaking to the Armenian and Azerbaijani services of the Voice of America, Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) Minsk Group USCo-Chair, Ambassador Richard Hoagland, expressed the hope that some respective steps will be taken in the near future.

In his words, first and foremost, the snipers need to be removed from the border and the contact zones, the number of international observers needs to be increased, and special equipment need to be installed in the area.

Also, the mediators have great expectations from the Armenian and Azerbaijani foreign ministers’ meeting, which is expected to be held in the near future inNew York.

As per Ambassador Hoagland, however, the cornerstone of resolving the Karabakh conflict is finding compromises. And despite worsening relations between the two countries, the US continues working with Russia on this matter.