OSCE MG attempts to save the diplomatic process: Kayts Minasyan

“Baku anticipates accusations from OSCE MG to fail that format,” Kayts Minasyan, analyst at the Center of Strategic Studies of France, told 168.am, reflecting to the statement issued by OSCE MG Co-Chairs.

The Co-Chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group (Ambassadors Igor Popov of the Russian Federation, Stephane Visconti of France, and Richard Hoagland of the United States), released a statement linked to the incident near Chinari village on December 29. “Baku and Yerevan continue to accuse each other of a December 29, 2016 attempted incursion on the Armenian-Azerbaijani border resulting in casualties. Armenian Armed Forces are still holding the body of an Azerbaijan serviceman killed in the fighting.

Violations of the ceasefire are unacceptable and are contrary to the acknowledged commitments of the Parties, who bear full responsibility, not to use force. The Co-Chairs urge the leaders of Armenia and Azerbaijan to strictly observe the agreements reached during summits in Vienna and St. Petersburg in 2016, including obligations to finalize in the shortest possible time an OSCE investigative mechanism.”

It should also be stated that Edward Nalbandian, RA Minister of Foreign Affairs, reflecting to the statement by the Co-Chairs said, “On numerous occasions the Co-Chair countries have pointed to the side which rejects the creation of such mechanism, therefore that side bears full responsibility for the incidents and ceasefire violations. Such mechanism will give an opportunity to cease what the Co-Chairs refer to as mutual accusations. Although when the Azerbaijani saboteur is neutralized in the Armenian trenches, it is more than evident even without the mechanism, which side initiates the attack.”

Kayts Minasyan stated, that the Co-Chairs issued an ordinary statement with an exception, which usually they release right after incidents, showing that the Co-Chairs are on the same line and they exert pressure against both Armenians and Azerbaijanis. According to him, it isn’t for the first time, when Azerbaijani act of sabotage is being initiated, however, there was no any statement by OSCE MG.

“As the situation is tense on the border and on the contact line now, negotiations are at a deadlock, perhaps the Co-Chairs intend to show that they are concerned over the situation and NK issue is under their strict control and attention.

Thus, they don’t want to lose the opportunity of exerting pressure. The content is balanced, the Co-Chairs realize, that Azerbaijanis are the first to attack, everyone knows it, they don’t want to state on it out of diplomatic reasons. They intend to keep balance to save the diplomatic process, as it’s very easy condemning Baku, it’s waiting for that, after all provocations Azerbaijanis are waiting for a statement, so that Minsk Group was neutralized and destroyed,” Minasyan said.

In his conviction, currently NK issue has somewhat become an issue between the Co-Chairs and Azerbaijanis, as the Co-Chairs know that Armenia is ready for concessions, although, in his words, Armenians unfortunately are much touching upon concessions. “This, naturally, isn’t the victory of the Co-Chairs, as there are no pro-Armenian formulations in the statement. This is the responsibility of Armenian diplomacy. On the one hand, we say that we are ready for concession, on the other hand, we don’t have a result in any field, we have not only political, diplomatic, but also information deadlock.

The Armenian side realizes that Azerbaijanis won’t go to any concession, Armenians hope that the international community will exert pressures over Azerbaijan, meanwhile OSCE MG isn’t entitled to exert decisions. By realizing that what do Armenians do? Shouldn’t they be tougher on the contact line and toughen Armenian diplomacy?

I consider the Armenian side should think over, some accentuations should be changed, words, that the international community is with us, aren’t enough. Armenia speaks in the language of international community, it isn’t enough, we see there is no result from that,” Kayts Minasyan said.

By Araks Martirosyan