YEREVAN, JUNE 13, ARMENPRESS. Armenian foreign minister Zohrab Mnatsakanyan held a meeting on June 12 with OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs Igor Popov of the Russian Federation, Stephane Visconti of France, and Andrew Schofer of the United States of America in Yerevan, the foreign ministry told ARMENPRESS.

At the meeting, the Armenian FM valued the mission of the Co-Chairs and attached importance to the visit, stressing that it enables to establish direct contact after the formation of the new government in Armenia.

FM Mnatsakanyan reaffirmed Armenia’s approaches and stance in the NK conflict settlement issue, emphasizing that Armenia is committed to the exclusively peaceful settlement of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict within the framework of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairmanship.

The Co-Chairs presented their experience and approaches in the efforts of settling the conflict to the minister.

The sides exchanged ideas over the settlement issue, touched upon the possibilities of advancing the negotiations process and in this context attached importance to the formation of an atmosphere contributing to peace.

Speaking about the latest Azerbaijani killing of a an on-duty soldier in the Artsakh line of contact, minister Mnatsakanyan stressed that Azerbaijan is seriously questioning its commitment to the peace process by such provocations.

Future steps in the co-chair format were discussed.

Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharyan