Heiko Langner: "Those responsible for this heinous crime must be found and punished"

"The circumstances at the contact line between Armenian and Azerbaijani troops resulting in the death of two Azerbaijani civilians in the village of Alkhanly yesterday, in particular the two-year-old girl, must be immediately investigated by an independent commission," the Berlin political scientist, Heiko Langner, told Vestnik Kavkaza, commenting on the situation in the conflict region after the yesterday's killing of Azerbaijani civilians by the Armenian forces.

"The three Co-Chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group - Russia, the United States and France - should hold relevant discussions with both sides of the conflict and the OSCE commission's special envoy for the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict in order to hold an emergency meeting and adopt a decision. The investigation could also involve employees of the International Committee of the Red Cross. The circumstances of death must be thoroughly clarified, and those guilty for this heinous crime are found and punished. Armenia should fully facilitate the investigation," the expert stressed.

According to the expert, a step-by-step intensification of the negotiation process is necessary in parallel with this. "It is extremely important to find opportunities for the beginning of partial progress, which would benefit both sides. Of course, Azerbaijan would be ready to withdraw snipers from its side, if these measures were tied to the gradual liberation of the occupied Azerbaijani territories outside of Nagorno-Karabakh, which account for the majority of forced Azerbaijani migrants," Langner believes. "The Armenian side constantly noted at the official level that it has no intention to permanently keep these territories under occupation, since they need them only as a 'buffer zone'. Such a need would have disappeared by itself if, in exchange for the voluntary surrender of the occupied territories, Armenia would have received from Azerbaijan obligatory security guarantees for the Armenian population in Nagorno-Karabakh. It would be a political deal for the exchange of territories for security. The decision on the final political status of Nagorno-Karabakh can be made only at the very end of the peace process with the equal participation of both groups of the region's population within the democratic process under international supervision," the political scientist concluded.