Expert at "Insight": We Cannot Have Great Expectations from the OSCE MG Co-Chairs

• 06.22.2017, 13:56
•  Region,  World,  Armenia

The recent provocation by Azerbaijan, as a result of which, unfortunately, we also had human losses, is a serious reason for concern. As it was initiated on the eve of the Co-Chairs’ visit to Baku, it contains concrete messages addressed also to the Co-Chairs. An expert of "Insight" Analytical Center for Applied Policy and Research, political scientist Narek Minasyan said this during the press conference on June 21.  

"At the same time we should note, that those incidents were not properly and adequately reflected in the recent statement by the Co-Chairs. The Co-Chairs tried to play with the words in the statement, particularly on the aspects related to addressees and keeping balances. Thus they left a place for different interpretations. Thus Armenia can say that the statement contains a sentence addressed to Azerbaijan urging it to avoid an escalation. So it is an addressed statement. However in the next sentence, the same call is addressed to Armenia and Artsakh, thus Azerbaijan gets an opportunity to interpret it as a natural, non-addressed statement.

The important thing in the statement of the OSCE MG Co-Chairs is the fact that it lacks direct reference to the agreements reached at Vienna and St. Petersburg meetings. The reference, in fact, was indirect - the statement touched upon the meeting of the foreign ministers in Moscow. Naturally, this is a reason for concern, taking into consideration the importance of those agreements in easing the consequences of the April escalations.

At the same time the Co-Chairs urge to start substantive negotiations. This call contains several illogical elements. Is there a clear formula for negotiations, when you are under fire?

If we try to sum up current developments, we can state, that the whole process once more proves that we cannot have great expectations from the Co-Chairs on maintaining the ceasefire regime, and we should rely on ourselves," Minasyan noted.

Referring to the problem of the non-addressed statements by the MG Co-Chairs, which is being actively discussed by our society, the expert noted that it should have become the working style of the Co-Chairs long ago. According to him, it is already late for that: "The last statement was an addressed one, but could not prevent Azerbaijan and the incident. Consequently, it is high time to turn to actions and not be limited to only addressed statements."