Igor Popov says there are no proposals to increase the number of Minsk Group Co-chairs

YEREVAN, JUNE 7, ARMENPRESS. The possibility for Nagorno Karabakh to participate in the negotiation process will be considered at some point of the settlement process, for example, after reaching a framework agreement, “Armenpress” reports OSCE Minsk Group Russian Co-chair Igor Popov told “Interfax”.

“Indeed, in this stage Karabakh is not formally a negotiation party. But this issue is under constant focus of Co-chairs when they meet in Armenia, Azerbaijan or Nagorno Karabakh. I thing at some stage of the talks, for example after reaching a framework agreement, the possibility for Nagorno Karabakh to participate in the negotiation process will be considered”, he said.

Referring to the issue of increasing the number of OSCE Minsk Group Co-chairs, Popov stated that from time to time the issue appears in the focus of media and is pushed forward by the public. “However, neither during the negotiations of the “trio” with the parties, nor during interactions with other mediators there have been no proposals for an initiative to increase the number of the Co-chairs. The settlement agreement does not depend on the number of Co-chairs but only the readiness of the parties to make compromises”, the Russian Co-chair announced.