On 16 March, the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office Ann Linde visited Armenia where she met with the country’s Foreign Minister Ara Ayvazyan. 

Ayvazyan emphasised during the meeting that a peace based on the destruction of peaceful settlements in Nagorno-Karabakh, on the destruction of the Armenian population and creation of Azerbaijani settlements instead, cannot be durable and lasting. “Moreover, even 4 months after the end of hostilities, Azerbaijan continues to violate international humanitarian law and human rights, holding Armenian prisoners of war and civilians as hostages,” he added. 

Ayvazyan stressed that the alleged deployment of foreign armed terrorists and mercenaries by Azerbaijan to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict zone with the direct participation and guidance of Turkey and their involvement in hostilities against the Armenian population of Karabakh is not only a violation of international law, but also of the OSCE commitments. “This has formed two dangerous precedents: an attempt to resolve the conflict with massive crimes and the use of force, as well as a large-scale transfer of armed terrorists from other regions to the OSCE commitments zone, which should be unambiguously condemned,” he said. 

The minister said that after the signing of the three-party statement and the deployment of Russian peacekeepers in the region, the conflict entered a new stage. “We regard the trilateral statement as a document aimed at restoring the ceasefire and reaffirming security issues. It contains certain provisions related to a peaceful settlement, but does not refer to their pivotal elements, the primary of which is the issue of Karabakh's status based on the right to self-determination of Nagorno-Karabakh," he explained.

According to him, the final political solution to the conflict is possible only within the framework of the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairmanship. “Recent developments in the region have highlighted that we need a strong OSCE Minsk Group co-chairmanship that can lead the peace process based on principles and elements that have been established over the years. We also need a strong and cohesive OSCE as the body responsible for regional security and peace,” he stressed. In this context, Ayvazyan noted the importance of the OSCE chairmanship, including the role of the personal representative of the OSCE chairperson-in-office. “Armenia and the Armenian people have consistently and sincerely delivered a message of peace. As a people who survived the first genocide of the 20th century, we know the price of peace and security. Armenia at all stages of the Karabakh conflict has advocated an exclusively peaceful settlement of the problem. Today we also fully understand the possibilities of what peace and real reconciliation can bring to our region,” he concluded.

Linde in turn, called on all sides to the Karabakh confrontation to peacefully resolve the existing issues and respect democratic processes. “I welcome the ceasefire and take this opportunity to express my deep regret for those who were injured and killed. The implementation of the ceasefire agreement will provide a basis for progress in resolving the conflict,” she said.

Linde welcomed the efforts of the OSCE Minsk Group and the personal representative of the OSCE chairperson-in-office to help the sides to find a long-term and stable solution. She stressed that there are still several issues that need to be addressed, and in this context the OSCE and the international community play an important role. “At this stage, it is important to show respect for international law, including international humanitarian law. I also want to emphasise the need for building trust, including proof of free access by international players on the ground,” she said.

She also said that her visit to the Caucasus gave her an opportunity to discuss the priorities of the OSCE chairmanship. She noted also that a bilateral agenda for supporting reforms in Armenia was adopted and the parties intend to deepen and expand cooperation.

It should also be noted that the spokesperson of Armenia’s MFA Anna Naghdalyan responded to the statement of Azerbaijan’s Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov in regard to the prisoner of war exchange between the two countries (Caucasus Watch reported). “With his statement, the foreign minister of Azerbaijan contradicts the other relevant bodies of that country, which confirmed the fact of the presence of dozens of Armenian prisoners of war in Azerbaijan, captured both during the hostilities and after the establishment of the ceasefire,” Naghdalyan said.

“Azerbaijan is withholding information regarding Armenian prisoners of war also from the European Court of Human Rights, which is dealing with the matter in the framework of proceedings under the interstate case of Armenia vs Azerbaijan. The Court has recently decided to notify the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe on the subject, noting that Azerbaijan has failed to respect time-limits set by the Court for the submission of information or provided rather general and limited information,” she added.