Elmira Tariverdiyeva, Baku. Exclusively to VK
Today the long-term territorial conflict on Nagorno-Karabakh between Armenia and Azerbaijan experiences not only the process of stagnation, but a standstill in the negotiations with a negative trend. Since 2008 and signing of the Meiendorf Declaration in Moscow official Baku hoped that due to efforts of mediators and personal participation of the former president of Russia Dmitry Medvedev the negotiations would have certain progress. However, today it is clear that Yerevan has no intention to move from the deadlock.
Provocations have worsened the situation on the frontline in recent times, and the international mediators began to worry about possibility of military actions in the conflict area.
However, in general negotiators didn’t propose anything new. They only urge the sides, but their vows do not have any influence either on Azerbaijan or on Armenia.
Heads of the countries – co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group on settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, presidents of Russia, the USA, and France, once again expressed regret that Baku and Yerevan didn’t take any steps towards the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.
The statement says that Moscoe, Washington, and Paris stand for peaceful settlement of the conflict. “The sides of the conflict shouldn’t delay making important decisions that are significant for achievement of long-term and peaceful settlement,” the document says.
On the one hand, the presidents’ urge correlates with Baku’s desire to star working on the settlement treaty. Baku has many times expressed readiness to develop the document, but Yerevan is against the document for unknown reasons.
It is not only comfortable, but also vital for Armenia to maintain the status quo which is illegal, but giving an opportunity to continue occupation of the Azerbaijani territories. Moreover, considering the difficult internal situation in the country and doubtful legitimacy of the Armenian authorities, any minimal progress in the negotiations on Nagorno-Karabakh will lead to serious problems for the regime.
First of all, the Armenian opposition won’t miss the chance to put a spoke in the wheel. Secondly, the Armenian diaspora won’t forgive Serge Sargsyan for even a bit of the Azerbaijani territory freed from the occupation. That is why official Yerevan will do its best for preventing progress in the negotiations on the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.
The trend was confirmed by the meeting of foreign ministers of Azerbaijan and Armenia, Elmar Mamedyarov and Edvard Nalbandyan, in Paris on June 18. The co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group and the envoy of the OSCE chairman, Anjei Kasprshik, participated in the meeting, but it didn’t help to shift the discussion of really important prospects of settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.
According to the OSCE, the foreign ministers of the sides expressed readiness to continue work with the co-chairs on achievement of peaceful settlement once again. However, if you read the text of the message carefully, it becomes obvious that the co-chairs didn’t manage to make Yerevan discuss details of the peacemaking treaty. Instead of it the co-chairs spoke about further development of humanitarian contacts and preservation of historic and cultural facilities in the conflict area.
In this context it would be more effective, if international institutes, for example, the EU would participate in settlement of the conflict along with the Minsk Group. Mediation by the EU could be successful, considering the European integration project which is interesting to all countries of the Caucasus.
The project’s fulfillment is prevented by lack of stability in the region. But it could be a motivation for a constructive dialogue between the sides of the conflict. The EU have to learn more about the reality of the conflict, as many European leaders still have a dim idea about the details of the conflict and don’t know even about the occupation of 20% of the Azerbaijani territory.
