OSCE Chairman-in-Office again calls for release of prisoners of war and for a political solution to Nagorno-Karabakh conflict

OSCE Chairperson-in-Office, Swedish Foreign Minister Anne Linden, has called on Azerbaijan to release Armenian prisoners of war, resume talks under the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs, and reach a political solution.

Anne Linden spoke at a press conference in Vienna, in response to the Armenpress observation that the Armenian society is disappointed with the passive position of the OSCE during the Nagorno Karabakh war, asking her if she shares the views of the Azerbaijani president that the Karabakh conflict is resolved.

“I do not agree that the OSCE does not make much effort on the conflict, on what is happening in Nagorno Karabakh. I have a special representative who is very active. I personally met with him yesterday to discuss the situation. We have a OSCE Minsk Group, co-chaired by the United States, Russia and France, who are trying to take very positive steps,” Linden said, noting that they had limited access to the region last year because of the coronavirus and other reasons. She reminded that in mid-June an agreement was reached to return 15 Armenian prisoners of war to Armenia, and Armenia provided maps to Azerbaijan to facilitate the demining efforts. Linden considered it a good way to build trust. She said this happened as a result of the valuable role of Georgia, the excellent cooperation between the United States, the European Council, the European Commission and the Swedish co-chairmanship in the OSCE.

“I call on Armenia and Azerbaijan to take a positive step by releasing all other detainees, to resume talks under the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs, and to find a political solution with the involvement of Andrzej Kasprzyk, as there is no peace agreement yet,” she said.