YEREVAN, JANUARY 27, ARMENPRESS. The session of the OSCE Permanent Council took place at the organization’s headquarters on January 27 the agenda of which was the prolongation of the OSCE Yerevan Office’s mandate.

As “Armenpress” was informed from the press service of the MFA Armenia, Chairman of the Permanent Council, permanent Representative of Austria to the OSCE, Ambassador Clemens Koja noted that in the sideline of the discussions on the prolongation of the mandate of the OSCE Yerevan Office one of the states, virtually referring to Azerbaijan, had expressed concern that the humanitarian mine-clearance program of the Office does not correspond to the mandate of the mission.  

In that connection the special representative of the Austrian chairmanship came to a conclusion based on his visit to Yerevan and examinations done on site that the mentioned program goes in line with the mandate of the Office. The Chairman of the OSCE Permanent Council stated that both the previous German chairmanship and the current Austrian support that opinion.

Clemens Koja expressed regret that even under those conditions the decision to prolong the mandate of the Yerevan Office is being delayed. He stated that his is pregnant with negative outcomes for any OSCE-led activity.

As a way out the OSCE chairmanship urged the Yerevan Office to refrain from the humanitarian program of mine-clearance. He also emphasized that all the other programs of the Yerevan Office should go on in an unobstructed manner. The Austrian chairmanship of the OSCE expressed gratitude to Armenia as a country hosting the Office for understanding.

The chairman of the session informed that some OSCE member states have shown interest to implement such a program with Armenia on a bilateral format. The Austrian chairmanship urged the OSCE member states to support the activities of the Yerevan Office, since it is important for the entire organization.

Clemens Koja expressed gratitude to Armenia for its exceptionally constructive position.

“Azerbaijan appeared in isolation and opposing the 56 OSCE member states, voiced against the prolongation of the OSCE Yerevan Office’s mandate.

Delegations of the European Union and a number of OSCE member states, including Russia, the USA, Canada, and Switzerland have supported in their speeches the activities of the OSCE Yerevan Office”, reads the press release issued by the MFA.