Swiss urge peace in Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict
Switzerland says it is concerned about ongoing violent clashes between Armenia and Azerbaijan that have been intensifying since September 27.
“In the light of recent events, Switzerland calls on all parties to preserve regional stability and therefore end the use of force,” Bern said in a press releaseExternal link on Monday. It also urged both sides to “uphold their obligations under international law, in particular to protect the civilian population”.
“Substantive negotiations must be resumed immediately and without preconditions,” added the statement. “Switzerland fully supports the efforts of the Co-Chairs of the Minsk Group towards a negotiated conflict solution and is ready to host meetings at the highest level, as has been done in the past.”
The OSCE’s Minsk Group spearheads the regional organisation’s efforts to find a peaceful solution to the Nagorno-Karabakh territorial dispute, which is at the heart of the conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan. It is co-chaired by France, Russia, and the United States.
Nagorno-Karabakh is recognised as part of Azerbaijan but has been controlled by ethnic Armenians since a war ended in 1994.
Switzerland is an active promoter of peace in the region. It is supporting mediation efforts for the conflict in eastern Ukraine and has a mandate to represent the diplomatic interests of Russia in Georgia and vice-versa. Bern also recently upgraded its diplomatic presence in Belarus.
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