NATO supports OSCE Minsk Group, says Robert Simmons

NATO Secretary General's Special Representative for Central Asia and the South Caucasus Robert Simmons, who is on a visit to Armenia, said that NATO is concerned about two incidents [on the line of contact between Azerbaijan and Nagorno Karabakh] which caused human casualties. He said that NATO supports the statement of the Co-Chairs of OSCE Minsk Group that the Karabakh conflict should be settled, in line with principles of non-use of force, territorial integrity and right to self-determination. 

“We aren’t a direct part of talks but we have been rendering assistance of every kind to the OSCE Minsk Group seeking for settlement to the conflict in line with those principles. We support statement of the foreign ministers of the OSCE MG nations made in Alma Ata containing a call for conflict’s sides to make measures to reach a balanced solution,” said Mr Simmons.

Referring to the resolutions that Azerbaijan introduces into various international structures over Nagorno Karabakh, Robert Simmons said that every side is free to make statements on the conflict but the Karabakh conflict should be solved only in line with three principles delivered by the OSCE Minsk Group.

He also said that the previous resolution on Nagorno Karabakh wasn’t approved by the UN.

“If the Co-Chairs think that such kinds of steps aren’t necessary, then we support this approach as well,” said Robert Simmons. He also referred to the issue of deployment of the NATO peacekeeping forces in Nagorno Karabakh and said that none of sides proposed this. “The sides can propose this; however it’s too early to talk about it as there wasn’t any proposal,” he added.