OSCE Chairman pledges full support for mediators' Nagorno-Karabakh peace efforts

MADRID, 10 May 2007 - The OSCE Chairman-in-Office, Spanish Foreign Minister Miguel Angel Moratinos, met the three Co-Chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group today and pledged Spain's full support for their intensive mediation efforts to assist the parties in finding a resolution to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

Ambassador Bernard Fassier of France, Ambassador Yuri Merzlyakov of the Russian Federation and Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Matthew Bryza of the United States briefed Minister Moratinos on the state of the negotiations between Armenia and Azerbaijan.

"The three Co-Chairs have worked extremely hard and in close co-operation to bring the sides closer together," said the Chairman-in-Office. "I urge Armenia and Azerbaijan to do all that is in their power, in this political context, to take the necessary steps in order to reach a solution to this conflict, which has lasted so long. I intend to make absolutely clear my full support for the Co-Chairs on the occasion of my forthcoming visit to Baku and Yerevan".

Ambassador Andrzej Kasprzyk of Poland, the Chairman-in-Office's personal representative for this conflict, also attended the meeting.

Later this week the Co-chairs will hold talks with the Foreign Ministers of Armenia and Azerbaijan in Strasbourg. Ambassador Kasprzyk will also attend.