Azerbaijan, Baku, 4 February /corr. Trend K.Ramazanova / The visit of the OSCE Minsk Group to the region is to bring the conflicting sides closer together, said the OSCE Chairman-in-Office's Special Representative, Andzey Kasprzyk.
"Each meeting of the Co-chairs assists in devising such formulas that are more achievable for both sides," Kasprzyk said, commenting on the last visit of the Co-chairs to the region.
The OSCE Minsk Group Co-chairs visited the region in January to receive the responses to the written proposals which were presented to the conflicting sides.
According to Kasprzyk, it is possible to speak of the next visit of the Co-chairs to the region after the elections in Armenia and continue talks with the newly elected President in Armenia. The Presidential elections in Armenia will take place on 19 February.
The conflict between the two countries of the South Caucasus began in 1988 due to Armenian territorial claims against Azerbaijan. Since 1992, Armenian Armed Forces have occupied 20% of Azerbaijan including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and its seven surrounding districts. In 1994, Azerbaijan and Armenia signed a ceasefire agreement at which time active hostilities ended. The Co-Chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group ( Russia, France, and the US) are currently holding peaceful negotiations.
