James Warlick: Lasting Solution to the Karabakh Conflict a Priority

By Siranush Ghazanchyan

(ArmRadio) – “The lasting solution to the Karabakh conflict is a priority for us,” U.S. Co-Chair of the OSCE Minsk Group James Warlick said in an interview with Voice of America.

“The attempts to violate the ceasefire are a cause of great concern for us, the clashes reported in January last year were unprecedented since the conclusion of the ceasefire agreement. The most worrisome are the losses suffered by the peaceful population, we condemn the use of heavy weapons,” Warlick said.

Ambassador Warlick also spoke about a recent letter written by House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Ed Royce (R-CA) and Ranking Member Eliot Engel (D-CA), which outlines steps to maintain peace in Karabakh. Proposals in the letter include installing equipment at the front line to discover the direction of the shots fired, as well as the deployment of OSCE observers at the Line of Contact for better oversight of the ceasefire.

Mr. Warlick noted that, “although the letter has not been finally confirmed, the Minsk Group Co-Chairs support this process targeted at the maintenance of peace[...] Our purpose is to work with the parties to reach a common ground,” Ambassador Warlick added.

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