OSCE chairman-in-office expresses concern about recent Azerbaijan, Armenia tension in Lachin region

By Talha Ozturk

BELGRADE, Serbia (AA) - Bujar Osmani, chairperson-in-office of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) expressed concerns Thursday about the Lachin corridor’s effect on the civilian population.

Osmani's remarks came after separate telephone talks with Azerbaijan Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov and Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan.

Despite peace talks between Baku and Yerevan, tensions between the neighboring countries have escalated in recent months concering the Lachin corridor, which serves as the sole land route providing Armenia access to Karabakh.

OSCE said Osmani talked about humanitarian considerations and people’s immediate needs in the Lachin corridor.

''Osmani expressed his concerns about the situation around the Lachin corridor and the impact on the civilian population, in particular vulnerable groups, including women and children,'' OSCE said in a statement.

Azerbaijan said Sunday that Armenia attempted to conduct reconnaissance flights above the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic and the Lachinregion.

Osmani reiterated his call for constructive and productive dialogue as an avenue for sustainable solutions for the benefit of the conflict-affected population.

''The humanitarian considerations and people’s immediate needs should prevail,'' said the statement, adding that Osmani offered his offices and OSCE`s tools and confidence-building measures as part of the solutions for normalizing relations and trust-building between Armenia and Azerbaijan.

Relations between the two former Soviet republics have been tense since 1991 when the Armenian military occupied Nagorno-Karabakh, a territory internationally recognized as part of Azerbaijan, and seven adjacent regions.

In the fall of 2020, Azerbaijan liberated several cities, villages and settlements from Armenian occupation during 44 days of fighting. The war ended with a Russia-brokered peace agreement.