Neither of the sides has chosen a favorable element, settlement is a package: James Warlick
“If there is an issue of return of territories, discussion around Nagorno Karabakh’s status should also be launched,” OSCE MG James Warlick told reporters today in Yerevan, reflecting to the U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry’s statement, that conditions haven’t been created for NK conflict settlement.
Warlick stated that Secretary Kerry has been rather bothered through recent years around the settlement issues. The U.S. co-chair reminded the initiatives of his leader, first of which was Sargsyan-Aliev meeting within NATO Wales Summit, then this year in Vienna, where discussions were productive. “Together with the co-chairs, the U.S. is ready to move forward towards the settlement through negotiations. If not now, then when? There are ideas, proposals on the table, and we can work around them. What do we want? We want to see political will by the presidents, I’m sure that through the political will we can have progress in the settlement process,” Warlick said.
Commenting on Russian and Azerbaijani publications in Baku, which highlighted the formulation “return of occupied territories,” James Warlick stated that currently comprehensive settlement in negotiations is being touched upon. In his words, it’s all the settlement elements, which should be on the table and should be discussed. “We can’t single out one element. If there is an issue of return of territories, then discussion on NK’s status should also been held. We should speak of migrants, IDPs, mandate of international peacekeepers, these all are elements, which are components of comprehensive settlement, neither of the sides can’t chose the favorable element, this is a package. Conflict can’t be settled until all the issues are settled,” Warlick said.
Regarding implementation of responsibilities, assumed by the presidents in Vienna and St. Petersburg, James Warlick stated that they can say with content that after the hard April days it became possible to restore respect towards ceasefire.
“Even one victim is more, however, according to Kasprzyk, level of violence throughout recent months has decreased, the situation is relatively calm, this is the result of presidential meetings. Concrete result of those meetings was expansion of Kasprzyk’s mission. Presidents agreed on it in Vienna, then reconfirmed it during the meeting in St. Petersburg. In an ideal variant these agreements should have been brought to life, however, clarification needs time. I’m sure we’ll reach to that destination as well. Currently we’re touching upon those details, neither of the sides should blame the other, the moment will come and expansion of Kasprzyk’s mission will be a crucial step taken in the right direction,” Warlick said.
Touching upon possible leverages, which the co-chairs have towards the parties to the conflict, James Warlick stated that work of the co-chairs is mediation.
By Araks Martirosyan
