Almost all proposals on Karabakh conflict settlement have been on  table for many years, James Warlick says 

ArmInfo.  Almost all the proposals on the Karabakh conflict settlement have been on the table for many years, James Warlick, US Co-Chair of the OSCE Minsk Group, said in Yerevan on October 25, when asked whether there are any new proposals.  

He said that the negotiations are being held with due regard for the  principles of peoples' right to self- determination, territorial  integrity and non-use of force.  

Ambassador Warlick noted that Armenia and Azerbaijan reaffirmed their  commitment to observe these principles, but the Armenian and  Azerbaijani president should show political will to ensure progress.  He is convinced that both presidents are ready to settle the conflict  because they know how high the war price is.  

He said that the Co-Chairs can only suggest options for settlement,  but it is for the two countries' presidents to make a decision. He  stressed that the agenda of discussions during the Co-Chairs' visit  to the region includes implementation of the arrangements reached at  the summits in Vienna and St. Petersburg, particularly, the issues of  expansion of the OSCE CiO Personal Representative's Office and  establishment of investigative mechanisms.    

The expansion of the OSCE CiO Personal Representative's Office needs  some time, because it is necessary to agree the office budget,  recruit the relevant personnel and discuss a number of details,  Warlick said, noting that the sides should not blame each other for  reluctance to implement the arrangements. The same is true for  establishment of investigative mechanisms, he added.  

The US Co-Chair abstained from commenting on Aliyev's statement that  he is undergoing pressure in the matter of recognition of  Nagorno-Karabakh. James Warlick said that he holds no such  information.   

To recall, on May 16, 2016, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the  Russian Federation Sergey Lavrov, Secretary of State of the United  States of America John Kerry, and State Secretary for European  Affairs of France Harlem Desir, representing the co-chair countries  of the OSCE Minsk Group, met with President of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan  and President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev in Vienna to advance a  peaceful resolution of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.  They  reiterated that there can be no military solution to the conflict.   The Co- Chairs insisted on the importance of respecting the 1994 and  1995 ceasefire agreements. The Presidents reiterated their commitment  to the ceasefire and the peaceful settlement of the conflict. To  reduce the risk of further violence, they agreed to finalize in the  shortest possible time an OSCE investigative mechanism.  The  Presidents also agreed to the expansion of the existing Office of the  Personal Representative of the OSCE Chairperson in Office. Finally,  they agreed to continue the exchange of data on missing persons under  the auspices of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC)  to which the Presidents committed during the Paris summit of October  2014. The Presidents agreed on a next round of talks, to be held in  June at a place to be mutually agreed, with an aim to resuming  negotiations on a comprehensive settlement.On June 20 2016, the Presidents of Armenia, Azerbaijan and Russia met  in Saint Petersburg at the behest of Vladimir Putin.  Reaching a  settlement to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict was the subject of  discussion at the meeting, which took place behind closed doors.   Following the consultations, the presidents of Russia, Armenia and  Azerbaijan adopted a joint statement reaffirming their commitment to  normalizing the situation on the line of contact and giving their  approval to an increase in the number of OSCE observers working in  the conflict zone. The joint statement also expresses the parties'  commitment to putting in place the conditions required for steady  progress in negotiations on a political settlement to the conflict.   The presidents made a point of their regular contacts on Karabakh and  agree to continue them in such format as addition to the efforts by  the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs who were invited to the final stage of  the meeting in St. Petersburg. Meanwhile, Azerbaijani President Ilham  Aliyev said that the investigative mechanisms at the present stage of  the settlement are irrelevant and the issue can be discussed after  "withdrawal of Armenian troops from the NKR". He also stressed that  the Office of the OSCE CiO Personal Representative can be expanded by  no more than 12-13 people.