YEREVAN, JANUARY 19, ARMENPRESS. Minister of Foreign Affairs of Artsakh Davit Babayan says Azerbaijan is the main obstacle for the visit of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs to the region.

“It has been quite a long time that the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs are not visiting Artsakh. Last time they visited Artsakh in late 2019. After that the pandemic and the war broke out. But these are just technical obstacles. The most important obstacle is Azerbaijan which is trying to ban or complicate their visit to the region. Of course, we are in touch with them. You know that a meeting took place between the President of Artsakh and the new Russian Co-Chair of the Minsk Group. I also attended that meeting. We highly appreciate such kind of meetings because it can be considered as one of the meetings with the Co-Chairs. Very normal and sincere discussions on various matters were held. We hope that the Co-Chairs will visit the region, that visit must take place one day especially when they want it and announce it. The fact that Azerbaijan obstructs is normal, we recently saw the statement of the Azerbaijani President according to which the Minsk Group must be closed, but I don’t think that the Co-Chairs will give in to that blackmail and that Azerbaijan will achieve its goals. Achieving goals is difficult, but it’s much easier to obstruct the work”, the Artsakh FM said at a press conference.

He assured that they have a connection with the Co-Chairs through other channels. “They are aware of various issues, we are managing to deliver our opinion”, he added.