US Mission to OSCE: No alternative to peaceful settlement of the Karabakh conflict

“The United States regrets the loss of life as a result of downing of a helicopter along the Line of Contact,” Chargé d’Affaires of the U.S Mission to the OSCE Kate Byrnes told the OSCE permanent Council. “We extend our condolences to the families of those killed or injured. We urge all sides to respect the ceasefire and not to take any actions to escalate the situation,” she added.

“We reiterate our strong support for the work of the Co-Chairs and the Chairmanship’s Personal Representative, and appreciate their continued engagement with the sides,”  she said.

“We welcome the three meetings of the Presidents during the past year in Sochi, Newport, and Paris, which reduced tensions and had a stabilizing effect along the Line of Contact. We expect the Presidents to continue their dialogue in the coming year, with an aim toward entering into formal negotiations and developing meaningful Confidence Building Measures.  There is no alternative to a peaceful, negotiated settlement,” Kate Byrnes stated.

“As a Co-Chair of the OSCE Minsk Group, the United States remains deeply committed  to working with the sides to find a lasting and peaceful resolution to the conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh,” she concluded.