YEREVAN, MARCH 5, ARMENPRESS. The OSCE very attentively follows the non-formal meetings between the leaders of Armenia and Azerbaijan and is ready to support any constructive development, OSCE Chairperson-in-Office and Slovakia’s Minister for Foreign and European Affairs Miroslav Lajčák said in a press conference in Baku.

Lajčák reconfirmed the support of the OSCE for finding ways for a peaceful settlement of Nagorno Karabakh conflict and for the efforts of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-chairs aimed at strengthening confidence and dialogue.

“Through continuous and increasing dialogue, small improvements to the lives of the people most affected by the conflict can be made. And in this, preparing the populations for peace is an important element”, Lajčák said.

He expressed the Slovak OSCE Chairmanship’s willingness to support small, tangible steps to promote co-operation and dialogue.

"The OSCE is encouraged by the dialogue we have seen so far. We are watching closely for signs of constructive progress and commitment, and stand ready to facilitate when needed,” Lajčák said.

Pashinyan and Aliyev have held 3 non-formal meetings so far. The 1st was in Dushanbe in September 2018 in the sidelines of the CIS summit. The 2nd took place in St. Petersburg in December 2018. This time the leaders met during the dinner organized in the framework of the informal meeting between leaders of CIS states following the EAEU regular sitting. Pashinyan-Aliyev 3rd meeting took place in January  2019 in Davos in the sidelines of the World Economic Forum.

Edited and translated by Tigran Sirekanyan