Latest statement of Heads of OSCE MG Co-Chair states is most felicitous

There has been a change of nuances in the latest statement issued by the Heads of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chair countries in Enniskillen on June 18, political scientist Sergei Minasian told the correspondent of Aysor.am.

“I would like to stress a number of points, regarding which the changes are obvious. For example, the Heads of the Co-Chair countries say in the statement that the conflicting parties should prepare their people for peace, not for war. I think it is clear which party the proposal is addressed to,” Minasian said.

The political scientist underlined the statement’s another point - the sides should accelerate the adoption of the fundamental principles which should be seen as an integrated whole, as any attempt to select some elements over others would make it impossible to achieve a balanced solution. “There is another message to Azerbaijan here. The Azerbaijani side protracts the adoption of the main principles, trying to focus only on the principle of territorial integrity,” Minasian said.

According to him, the response to the June 18 statement immediately came from the Nagorno Karabakh Republic, not from Armenia, while Azerbaijan’s statement came late and was a brief one.

“On the whole, the latest statement of the Heads of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chair countries notes once again that the format and activities of that organization should not be changed,” Sergei Minasian said in conclusion.

Political scientist Levon Melik-Shahnazarian told Aysor.am: “Such a felicitous statement as the latest one by the Heads of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chair countries was never before made”.

In his words, it is the first time that the equal rights and self-determination of peoples were stated during the enumeration of the fundamental principles. “The fact is that self-determination of peoples was mentioned, but not equal rights,” Melik-Shahnazarian noted.

He also commented on Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry’s response to the June 18 statement of the Heads of the Co-Chair countries.
“It is a mild response at first glance. It has a mild title saying that the Minsk Group took Azerbaijan’s opinions into account. But there is criticism of the Minsk Group’s work in the text,” the political scientist said.

We would remind you that the Heads of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chair Countries - Russian President Vladimir Putin, U.S. President Barack Obama, and French President Francois Hollande issued on June 18 the following joint statement on the Nagorno Karabakh conflict:

“We, the Presidents of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chair countries – France, the Russian Federation, and the United States of America – remain committed to helping the parties to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict reach a lasting and peaceful settlement. We express our deep regret that, rather than trying to find a solution based upon mutual interests, the parties have continued to seek one-sided advantage in the negotiation process.

We continue to firmly believe that the elements outlined in the statements of our countries over the last four years must be the foundation of any fair and lasting settlement to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. These elements should be seen as an integrated whole, as any attempt to select some elements over others would make it impossible to achieve a balanced solution.

We reiterate that only a negotiated settlement can lead to peace, stability, and reconciliation, opening opportunities for regional development and cooperation. The use of military force that has already created the current situation of confrontation and instability will not resolve the conflict. A renewal of hostilities would be disastrous for the population of the region, resulting in loss of life, more destruction, additional refugees, and enormous financial costs. We strongly urge the leaders of all the sides to recommit to the Helsinki principles, particularly those relating to the non-use of force or the threat of force, territorial integrity, and equal rights and self-determination of peoples. We also appeal to them to refrain from any actions or rhetoric that could raise tension in the region and lead to escalation of the conflict. The leaders should prepare their people for peace, not war.

Our countries stand ready to assist the sides, but the responsibility for putting an end to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict remains with them. We strongly believe that further delay in reaching a balanced agreement on the framework for a comprehensive peace is unacceptable, and urge the leaders of Azerbaijan and Armenia to focus with renewed energy on the issues that remain unresolved”.