Turkey should be involved in OSCE Minsk Group actively
By Sara Rajabova
The European expert considers that the OSCE Minsk Group is not in the right framework for resolution of the long-lasting Armenian-Azerbaijani Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.
Berlin European Institute Chairman Metz Dontfild told Trend news agency that no one sees the OSCE Minsk Group as the right structure or framework for solving the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict any longer.
Dontfild stressed that there is a need to change the structure of the Minsk Group, as Russia, the U.S. and France are not the right parties to negotiate the conflict.
"If you give them the last chance it is necessary to change the structure. And France should be replaced by the EU, by special representative. Furthermore, Turkey is an active player in the region and should be involved in this structure more actively," he said.
He said it is needed to have a broader approach, to incorporate Turkey and the EU especially now when Federica Mogherini has become the new EU High Representative for Common Foreign and Security Policy.
Dontfild noted that not only the OSCE should be seen as the main instrument, adding, "I would also see that we should give other local structures and even other local players more influence to accelerate the process of solving the conflict in Karabakh."
"What I want to say is that we need strong commitment, we need strong pressure on Armenia to make concessions," he said.
Dontfild also criticized the international community demonstrating double standards towards the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, which erupted back in 1988 over Armenia's territorial claims against Azerbaijan.
He went on to add that Russia is facing sanctions because of Ukraine, while Armenia, a country continuing to violate the international law, is not being punished for its occupation policy, and that is clearly a double standard.
"We see very clear double standards in Western policy; I mean first the European Union and the failed Eastern Partnership. On the other hand, we also clearly see the geo-strategic interest of the U.S., which is shown by the policy towards Ukraine. I think we should not forget that the Armenian occupation of the Nagorno-Karabakh and adjacent territories is against international law, against the resolutions of the UN," he underscored.
Dontfild believes that the EU must develop common and comprehensive policy towards not only the region, but also towards Azerbaijan.
"We have a lot of people suffering; we have more than one million people of Azerbaijani origin who were forced to leave their homes. We have a lot of cities destroyed like Shusha, which in my opinion belongs to the world's heritage. It is now the time to solve the conflict, to bring stability to the region," he stressed.
Armenia occupied over 20 percent of Azerbaijan's internationally recognized territory, including Nagorno-Karabakh and seven adjacent regions, after laying territorial claims against its South Caucasus neighbor that caused a brutal war in the early 1990s. Long-standing efforts by U.S, Russian and French mediators have been largely fruitless so far.
As a result of the military aggression of Armenia, over 20,000 Azerbaijanis were killed, 4,866 are reported missing and almost 100,000 were injured, and 50,000 were disabled.
The UN Security Council has passed four resolutions on Armenian withdrawal from the Azerbaijani territory, but they have not been enforced to this day.