Statement by OSCE Chairperson’s Personal Representative Ambassador Andrzej Kasprzyk

TBILISI, 4 August 2014 – Ambassador Andrzej Kasprzyk, the Personal Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office on the conflict dealt with by the OSCE Minsk Conference, made the following statement today following recent media reports:

“Recent reports of multiple incidents along the front lines are cause for concern. Every casualty is a tragedy for the families and other people involved. The OSCE Chairperson-in-Office and the Minsk Group Co-chairs addressed this issue in their statement of 2 August (see www.osce.org/cio/122190).

“In line with my mandate, I will continue liaising closely with the sides, including at the highest levels, with a view to assist them in de-escalating the situation. I and my team will continue our monitoring activities that are organized in co-operation with the sides, most recently on 1 August. 

“During each monitoring exercise, my teams approach the Line of Contact or the Armenian-Azerbaijani border, receive information from the respective sides concerning ceasefire violations and the general situation also in other locations, but observe the situation in one specific location only. We also offer the opportunity to the local commanders to address issues of mutual concern and defuse tensions.

“The reports from the monitoring exercises are submitted to the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office and members of the Minsk Group. Reports of incidents are also passed on by my Office to the relevant OSCE structures. We do not comment publicly either on the course of the respective monitoring exercises, or on their findings. Any press reports of this character are not based on information provided by my office."