Slovenia: Protracted conflicts in OSCE area call for full attention

He made the remarks at the official opening ceremony of Slovenia’s Chairmanship of the OSCE Forum for Security Co-operation.

“Slovenia’s Chairmanship of the OSCE Forum for Security Co-operation will be characterized by the country’s commitment to the ongoing efforts to restore confidence in the OSCE area,” Logar said.

He noted that protracted conflicts in the OSCE area, erosion of arms controls, crisis of confidenceand security-building measures, increased radicalization, proliferation of terrorist activities and the misuse of information are just some of the issues that call for full attention.

“There is a greater need than ever for an open dialogue among the participating states. Slovenia truly sees the OSCE as being capable of fostering dialogue, rebuilding trust and promoting stability,” Logar mentioned.

Armed conflicts in the OSCE area, such as the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, conflicts in Georgia, Ukraine and Transnistria, have caused much suffering, displacement and destruction. All these conflicts must be solved through political means rather than by military force.

As for the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, Armenia still shows its reluctance to engage in serious talks to resolve the issue. The countries fought a lengthy war that ended with signing of a fragile ceasefire in 1994. Since the war, Armenian armed forces have occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan’s territory, including Nagorno-Karabakh and seven surrounding regions. More than 20,000 Azerbaijanis were killed and over 1 million were displaced as a result of the large-scale hostilities.

While the OSCE Minsk Group acted as the only mediator in resolution of the conflict, the occupation of the territory of the sovereign state with its internationally recognized boundaries has been left out of due attention of the international community for years.

Until now, Armenia ignores four UN Security Council resolutions on immediate withdrawal from the occupied territory of Azerbaijan, thus keeping tension high in the region.