As part of the ongoing contacts with the parties to the conflict, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Luigi Di Maio, had today a telephone conversation with the Armenian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Zohrab Mnatsakanyan, focusing on the ongoing clashes in Nagorno-Karabakh.
Minister Di Maio stressed the need for an immediate ceasefire in order to prevent further escalation and destabilisation of the entire region, expressing concern about the scale of the clashes, which do not hint at a decrease in intensity, also causing many civilian casualties. Mr Di Maio confirmed Italy’s commitment to relaunch negotiations within the OSCE through the mediation of the Minsk Group.
Minister Di Maio noted how the current military crisis demonstrates the unsustainability of the status quo and the need for the parties to return to negotiations, under the aegis of the Minsk Group co-chairs, without preconditions and with serious commitment. The priority now is the immediate cessation of hostilities.
