The Heads of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) member states adopted a statement on the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict on Thursday, expressing support for the efforts of the OSCE Minsk Group towards the settlement of the conflict. The statement, named “On support for OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs’ mediation efforts in Nagorno-Karabakh conflict settlement process,” acknowledges the Minsk Group as the only authorized format by the international community aimed at encouraging the parties to reach a settlement in the Karabakh conflict through political and diplomatic means.

The statement, adopted on the sidelines of the CSTO Security Council session in Minsk, reiterates the need “for the exclusively peaceful settlement of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict on the basis of the norms of international law, the United Nations Charter and provisions of the Helsinki Final Act – “non-use of force and the threat of force, territorial integrity and the right of peoples to self-determination.”

The document, signed by the six presidents of the military bloc, including Russia, Kazakhstan, and Belarus, calls for the implementation of the agreements reached at the summits of Vienna, St. Petersburg, and Geneva held in 2016-2017 aiming to prevent the escalation of the situation, adhere to the ceasefire regime, take additional measures to reduce tensions in the conflict zone as well as intensify the negotiation process.

The full statement is available in Russian and is posted on the official website of the organization.