“If OSCE MG is Interested in Peace Maintenance, it shouldn’t Launch a Meeting without Conditions Propounded by the Armenian Side”
“Conditions put forward by the Republic of Armenia is not a caprice,” Styopa Safaryan, founder and head of the Armenian Institute of International and Security Affairs (AIISA), political analyst, told 168.am, touching upon the statement by OSCE MG Co-chairs issued today.
Note, OSCE MG released a statement, according to which time has come for the presidents of Armenia and Azerbaijan to meet. “Our Foreign Ministers are prepared to facilitate this meeting next week in Vienna. Their main objectives will be to reinforce the ceasefire regime, and to seek agreement on confidence-building measures that would create favorable conditions for resuming negotiations on a comprehensive settlement on the basis of elements and principles under discussion. There can be no success in negotiations if violence continues, and there can be no peace without a negotiation process. We reiterate that there is no military solution to the conflict,” the statement reads. Note also, that earlier the Armenian side introduced its disposition on returning to negotiations—investment of control mechanisms, addressed statements and guarantees, that Azerbaijan won’t switch on to aggression and terror against the Karabakhi people.
Styopa Safaryan said, that three conditions by Armenia are not a caprice, i.e. excluding war is a crucial condition for the process of negotiations, as war is its edifice in the atmosphere of distrust , and even if negotiations are launched, they won’t succeed. Thus, according to S.Safaryan, Armenia should continue explaining that withdrawal of troops, suspension of fire, implementation of mechanisms are not simply a precondition, but a crucial factor. “These are not conditions of the Armenian side, but conditions of vital importance for negotiations, accordingly, Yerevan didn’t show a caprice, and didn’t put forward an extraordinary precondition for negotiations. If they intend to restore the negotiation format, certainly, in this regard conditions should be provided for negotiations,” Safaryan said.
As for the content, in his words, Armenia should clarify whether NKR is going to participate in negotiations or not, as Azerbaijan attacked not on Armenia, but on NKR. “Accordingly, if it attacked on NKR, why does it negotiate with Armenia? Settlement of the issue of NK engagement should also be provided, and, finally, it’s rather crucial, that Armenia doesn’t have the right any more to leave that issue behind, it should be number one issue for discussions,” S.Safaryan mentioned.
To the question why OSCE MG sets conditions, if the Armenian side has put forward vital conditions, he replied, “Meeting for the sake of a meeting gives nothing. It won’t change anything, moreover, they are accompanied with military adventures, and if MG is interested towards peace, it’d better not launch a meeting without those conditions. What’s the use of launching a new stage for provocation, if there are no mechanisms excluding them? I’m simply not aware of what conditions RA MFA puts forward, if I was aware of the content of talks, I’d reply to your question. I have an impression that not a single issue is being consistently raised. Observations by Serzh Sargsyan have purposes, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs should be the one to reach them. I can’t say what is does and what it doesn’t. The fact is, if they do, they’re not properly doing it, as those results aren’t visible, and if they don’t, they should give explanation, why they are inactive.”
By Araks Martirosyan
