E. Nalbandian: Azerbaijan’s subversion creates obstacles to talks

The January 20 subversion of Azerbaijan on the Line of Contact between the armed forces of Karabakh and Azerbaijan was aimed at creating additional obstacles to the negotiating process, Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian told a press conference today.

“Even one of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-chairs said quite clearly on Twitter that such provocations, violations of the ceasefire hinder the negotiating process. But the process should continue as there is no alternative to talks,” Nalbandian stated.
In his words, Azerbaijan pretends that the Co-chairs take a different view of the issue, but the international community gave the mediators a mandate to voice that issue at the highest level.

“Azerbaijan pretends that the Co-chairs’ statements do not apply to it. Five statements have been adopted so far. It is the only conflict in international relations, about which so many statements were adopted at the highest level,” E. Nalbandian noted. According to him, Armenia shares the OSCE Minsk Group Co-chairs’ approaches to the peaceful resolution of the Karabakh conflict.

When asked if there is a new format of the conflict resolution, E. Nalbandian replied that the main principles submitted by the mediators remain on the negotiating table.

“The Co-chairs repeatedly urged the sides to accelerate the process of reaching an agreement on the main principles which are based on non-use of force and threats of force, peoples’ right to self-determination, and the principle of territorial integrity. Last year Armenia reaffirmed its commitment to these principles. Azerbaijan continues ignoring both these principles and the Co-chairs’ calls,” the foreign minister said.

Edward Nalbandian said that the negotiations are continuing and tomorrow he will fly to Paris to meet with the OSCE Minsk Group Co-chairs and the Azerbaijani foreign minister.