It is already several months that the information flow on the Karabakh conflict has made little reference to political settlement. After the Russia-hosted summit of the presidents of Armenia and Azerbaijan in June when the parties in fact failed to agree on principles of settlement, international mediators have been talking more about establishing people-to-people contacts and solving humanitarian problems and even about some regional projects. Perhaps this is what the latest visit to Armenia by the European Union’s Special Representative for South Caucasus Philippe Lefort was aimed at.

The EU is developing new projects aimed at enhancing confidence-building measures between Armenians and Azeris. Spokesperson of the EU high representative for foreign affairs and security policy Maja Kocijancic said that the first such project with a budget of 2 million euros (more than $2.65 million) is being completed, the possibility of another such project is already being considered.

The United States also considers very important the organization of contacts between the Armenian and Azerbaijani communities of Nagorno-Karabakh, U.S. ambassador in Baku Matthew Bryza said on November 28. “We need to organize as many contacts between Armenians and Azerbaijanis as possible, because they can find some common grounds this way,” said Bryza.

Apart from communication at the level of civil society, several other processes are taking place. For example, Russia initiated a meeting of religious leaders of Armenia and Azerbaijan, which has already given its results. After their meeting a year ago Catholicos of All Armenians Karekin II and Azerbaijan’s top Shia Muslim leader Sheikh-ul-Islam Allahshukur Pashazade, mediated by Russia’s Patriarch Kirill, the sides made an appeal for the repatriation of all prisoners-of-war and human remains. The parties to the conflict mostly complied with that within a few months.

During the meeting of the two spiritual leaders in Yerevan earlier this week they make a new appeal – for the withdrawal of snipers from the front lines. Official Baku has not yet responded to this call. Meanwhile, officials in Yerevan have reiterated their readiness to withdraw snipers, but not unilaterally.

During their Tuesday meeting with Armenian Defense Minister Seyran Ohanyan the visiting troika of the OSCE Minsk Group stressed the importance of maintaining the ceasefire regime, stating at the same time that the frequent deadly incidents along the line of contact speak for the need to put in place mechanisms for their international investigation.

Meanwhile, heightened tensions were observed near Karabakh on the eve of these visits. The Armenian army reported the deaths of two of its soldiers from what it said was sniper fire coming from Azerbaijani positions. In response the Armenian side announced the start of punitive actions, saying that within a space of one week their forces killed or wounded seven Azeri troops. Azerbaijan confirmed only one death. The statements by the military in Armenia and Karabakh did not elicit a particularly strong reaction either in Azerbaijan or from international organizations, which appeared to tacitly recognize the Armenian army’s right to punitive action.

Earlier, on November 3, in Vienna, Austria, the OSCE Minsk Group presented to the OSCE Permanent Council its annual report, reaffirming that the conflict has no military solution. They presented additional efforts to improve the atmosphere of the negotiating process and strengthen the ceasefire regime.