OSCE summit kicks off

The plenary session of OSCE summit started in the capital of Kazakhstan, attended by heads of 28 states, including Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan.

Besides European security, situation in Afghanistan, further activities of OSCE, participants of the summit will address the process of Nagorno Karabakh settlement, with OSCE Minsk Group mediation.

The Nagorno-Karabakh (armed) conflict broke out back in 1991, when, subsequent to the demand for self-determination of the Nagorno-Karabakh people, Azerbaijani authorities attempted to resolve the issue through ethnic cleansings, carried out by Soviet security forces (KGB special units) under the pretext of the implementation of the passport regime and by launching of large-scale military operations, which left thousands dead and caused considerable material damage. A cease-fire agreement was established in 1994. Negotiations on the settlement of the conflict are being conducted under the mediation of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairmen (Russia, USA, France) and on the basis of their Madrid proposals, presented in November, 2007.

Azerbaijan has not yet implemented the 4 resolutions of the UN Security Council adopted in 1993, by continuing to provoke arms race in the region and openly violating on of the basic principles of the international law non-use of force or threat of force.

President of Kazakhstan Nursultan Nazarbayev addressed opening of the summit urging to give up nuclear weapons. He reminded that Kazakhstan, in its turn, has done so, Aysor.am correspondent reported from Astana.

Kazakhstan’s President touched upon the situation in Afghanistan stressing that common strategy is needed to ensure normal life and economic development in Afghanistan.