Karabakh conflict settlement impossible without solving problems of refugees and internally displaced persons, Warlick says
26.10.2015,
13:55
A comprehensive settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict is impossible without solving the problems of refugees and internally displaced persons, the US co-chair of the OSCE Minsk Group, James Warlick, said today in Yerevan.
YEREVAN, October 26. / ARKA /. A comprehensive settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict is impossible without solving the problems of refugees and internally displaced persons, the US co-chair of the OSCE Minsk Group, James Warlick, said today in Yerevan.
Speaking at a news conference Warlick said the peace-brokers from Russia, France and USA want to look into creation of opportunities for refugees and internally displaced persons to return to their homes during talks in Armenia and Azerbaijan.
The OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs who have arrived in Armenia are expected to meet with Armenian president Serzh Sargsyan and foreign minister Edward Nalbandian to discuss the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict settlement process. The co-chairs will visit also Azerbaijan on October 28.
According to the State Migration Service of Armenia, about 360,000 ethnic Armenian refugees from Azerbaijan fled to Armenia in 1988-1992 and another 140,000 ethnic Armenians fled to other former Soviet republics.
Warlick said today in Yerevan that although the problem of refugees is not often spoken about publicly, it nevertheless is being discussed in private conversations with ministers and presidents of both countries.
According to him, the co-chairs are ready to hear the voice of hundreds of thousands of refugees and internally displaced persons and are convinced that their concerns and problems must be addressed in the overall context.
Warlick said during his latest visit to Yerevan, he met with representatives of organizations that defend the interests of the refugees and had a substantial discussion of the problems faced by them in Armenia.
The Nagorno-Karabakh conflict erupted into armed clashes after the collapse of the Soviet Union in the early 1990s as the predominantly Armenian-populated enclave of Azerbaijan sought to secede from Azerbaijan and declared its independence backed by a successful referendum.
A truce was brokered by Russia in 1994, although no permanent peace agreement has been signed. Since then, Nagorno-Karabakh and several adjacent regions have been under the control of Armenian forces of Karabakh. Nagorno-Karabakh is the longest-running post-Soviet era conflict and has continued to simmer despite the relative peace of the past two decades, with snipers causing tens of deaths a year. –0 –
Speaking at a news conference Warlick said the peace-brokers from Russia, France and USA want to look into creation of opportunities for refugees and internally displaced persons to return to their homes during talks in Armenia and Azerbaijan.
The OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs who have arrived in Armenia are expected to meet with Armenian president Serzh Sargsyan and foreign minister Edward Nalbandian to discuss the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict settlement process. The co-chairs will visit also Azerbaijan on October 28.
According to the State Migration Service of Armenia, about 360,000 ethnic Armenian refugees from Azerbaijan fled to Armenia in 1988-1992 and another 140,000 ethnic Armenians fled to other former Soviet republics.
Warlick said today in Yerevan that although the problem of refugees is not often spoken about publicly, it nevertheless is being discussed in private conversations with ministers and presidents of both countries.
According to him, the co-chairs are ready to hear the voice of hundreds of thousands of refugees and internally displaced persons and are convinced that their concerns and problems must be addressed in the overall context.
Warlick said during his latest visit to Yerevan, he met with representatives of organizations that defend the interests of the refugees and had a substantial discussion of the problems faced by them in Armenia.
The Nagorno-Karabakh conflict erupted into armed clashes after the collapse of the Soviet Union in the early 1990s as the predominantly Armenian-populated enclave of Azerbaijan sought to secede from Azerbaijan and declared its independence backed by a successful referendum.
A truce was brokered by Russia in 1994, although no permanent peace agreement has been signed. Since then, Nagorno-Karabakh and several adjacent regions have been under the control of Armenian forces of Karabakh. Nagorno-Karabakh is the longest-running post-Soviet era conflict and has continued to simmer despite the relative peace of the past two decades, with snipers causing tens of deaths a year. –0 –
