Changes of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs are unlikely to bring serious impact on the mediation efforts, since the Co-Chairs are representing the position of their states, Armenian Foreign Minister Eduard Nalbandian stated at the annual press conference on the activities of the country’s foreign ministry during 2016. In the minister’s words efforts by the Co-Chairs and Armenia are aimed at establishing respective conditions to push forward the Nagorno Karabakh settlement process.
To Nalbandian’s conviction, Azerbaijan is, however, trying to hinder Armenia’s and the Co-Chairs’ efforts, calling into question the arrangements reached during the Vienna and St. Petersburg Summits, or misstating them to a degree the co-chairs called it distortion.
“The Co-Chairing states are repeatedly calling for compliance with the ceasefire regime, implementing in the shortest possible time the proposals of establishing an OSCE investigative mechanism and the expansion of the team of the Personal Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office,” reminded the minister.
He next informed about the planned meeting with the OSCE Co-Chairs on the eve of the Munich Security Conference as well as the Co-Chairs’ proposal to hold a meeting between foreign ministers of Armenia and Azerbaijan.
“We have never declined such meetings, yet we are unsure what plots Azerbaijan is going to play this time,” the minister said.
Speaking of the Azerbaijani subversion occurred near the village of Chinari of Tavush Marz at the end of December, Nalbandian said it would be beyond any comment should the order for the sabotage attempt been issued from the Azerbaijani leadership.
Nevertheless, the minister admitted Azerbaijani leadership could be behind the order, since Baku is the one who rejects the proposals of strengthening the ceasefire regime.
“If the order [for the assault] has been given by the local leadership it proves the assumption there are people in Azerbaijani army who ignore their leadership and provoke actions that may result in unforeseeable consequences which may escalate the conflict or prompt negative developments alike,” Nalbandian reasoned, adding it has been high time for the international community to bring the Azeri leadership to senses who continue acting against their calls and demands, losing touch with reality.