Only mutual trust between the two parties of the conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh can help avoid new tragedies on the frontline, Director of the International Centre for Defence Studies in Tallinn Matthew Bryza told Vestnik Kavkaza, commenting on the OSCE Minsk Group from the United States, a former US Assistant Secretary for South Caucasus, and ex-Ambassador to Azerbaijan James Warlick’s recent statement.
"From my own experience I know that problems of good intentions at negotiations and tensions along the line of contact have always been closely related. After a progress between the parties scheduled, the tension between Armenia and Azerbaijan weakened and the number of murders along the line of contact decreased. But when one party believed that the other party doesn’t negotiate with good intentions the process reached a deadlock. The disappointed party often resorted to a resumption of hostilities as a certain kind of tactics that often had tragic consequences," he said.
Recall that James Warlick made a statement that the US should support the idea that the OSCE should investigate ceasefire violations on the contact line of Azerbaijani and Armenian troops, and urged to create a special mechanism within the framework of this organization for the implementation of these functions.
"We call on Azerbaijan to adopt mechanisms that will help to reduce tensions and as well as avoid civilian casualties. We also call on Armenia to accept the public calls of Azerbaijan for a sincere negotiating process under the auspices of the OSCE Minsk Group, which can lead to long-term and peaceful settlement,’’ Warlick said.
