According to the expert for Foundation of Strategic Research of France Gaidz Minassian, both Russia and the West do not respond to Azerbaijani practice properly.
– A few days ago, the OSCE Minsk Group co-chair Pierre Andre (France) met with Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov. During the meeting the parties discussed the Karabakh conflict normalization process and the OSCE Minsk Group implementation plans. Later, it became known that on January 27, the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs are planning to meet with Azerbaijani Foreign Minister in Krakov. Mr. Minasian, how do you explain the policy of the mediator to meet Azerbaijan separately. Is it due to the tension in the Contact line in recent weeks, and the mediators try to reaching special messages to the Azerbaijani authorities?
– I do not think that the separate meetings with the Azerbaijan Foreign Minister are due to the tension in the Contact line. I think that these meetings are particularly aimed at ensuring negotiation process. The Armenian side has given a green light to transfer the Azerbaijani corpses, the Armenian side has given its consent and the French co-chair Pierre Andre has met with Foreign Minister of Azerbaijan to convey the response of the Armenian side, and receive a consent from Baku to push the negotiation process forward, already expecting concessions from them.
– Do you think the discussion of details for organizing the presidents’-level meeting with the parties possible under this situation?
Read also
– Yes, if Yerevan and Baku give their consent, it would be possible for the co-chairs to record a positive result in the normalization process by organizing a new meeting at the level of the presidents.
– The tension in the Contact line is unprecedented, the opponent is continuously conducting subversive acts by keeping tension in the borders. How do you explain the behavior of Azerbaijani authorities? We pretty much discuss the question of by whose «OK» Azerbaijani authorities display themselves as such that they are bombing even the Armenian residences. In your opinion, have the Azerbaijani authorities received a consent from anybody pertaining to keeping the Contact line in tension?
– No, no one has given this consent to it. But as long as the tension is maintained, and the interested partied do not tell the truth, the Azerbaijanis feel themselves freer knowing that there will be no adequate condemnation, no tough criticism, therefore, they keep with their practice. And if there is no one to rebuke you, it means that they give a kind of green light to you. This means that both Russia and the West do not respond adequately, and I am sure that the Azerbaijanis are trying to show that the conflict is not resolved to exert pressure in the direction of Armenia’s, as well as other countries’ co-chairs, simultaneously showing that their army is ready: if no success is recorded in the negotiations, then the outcome is the military solution.
– Recently, Erdoğan announced that the Centennial of the Dardanelles battle will be marked on April 24, on the day of the Centennial of the Armenian Genocide, and on this occasion, invitations were sent to the leaders of all countries in the world. In fact, in this way, Erdoğan rejected Serzh Sargsyan’s invitation made months ago to visit the Genocide Memorial in Yerevan on April 24, 2015. Can we expect willingness for reconciliation from the Turkish authorities even after April 24?
– First of all, I would like to emphasize that Armenia’s President Serzh Sargsyan’s response addressed to the Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan was wonderful, and we would like Armenia’s authorities to display such a posture in all spheres: diplomacy, economic and partnership, in other words, a sovereign and independent policy. As to the question of what we can expect from the Turkish current government, then if we are going to expect something, then I think, we can expect after the upcoming elections in Turkey in June (Turkish parliamentary elections are scheduled on June 7, 2015. E. Gabrielyan). I say “if”, because we do not know what development may happen. Next, after this correspondence and invitations, what the next destination can be, whether the Armenia-Turkey protocols will appear on the scene again, if yes, then how, through the same negotiations? We have to wait and understand which line the Armenian authorities are going to take in this matter. Either the situation will remain as Serzh Sargsyan reflected in the content of his letter, or we have to wait for new possible impulses from Turkey in the end of June. If the Armenia-Turkey protocols should be eventually announced void, in this case, I think there will be changes in the government staff of Armenia too. But if these protocols are still valid, then the political life of Armenia will remain the same as it is now. Once again, I would like to emphasize that the response by the President of Armenia was wonderful, timely, appropriate and even unexpected. We did not expect an answer with such a spirit.
Emma GABRIELYAN
