“The major challenges facing OSCE region today - and, indeed, the wider world - demand more cooperation and more dialogue than ever before. Slovakia is determined to be impartial, fair and honest in our role as partners and mediators during the course of our 2019 OSCE Chairmanship,” he said.
Lajcak pointed out that Slovakia will focus on how conflict is mediated, resolved and prevented - as well as on people who are living through it.
“We need to prepare for “a Safer Future”,” he added.
The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, in 1992 Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts.
The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on withdrawal of its armed forces from the Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding districts.
More about: #OSCE
