Azernews.Az

By Rashid Shirinov

There are signals for the peace process over the long-standing Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict to get intensified as regional players are activating their levers to push talks forward.

Turkey and Iran has recently came out with statements on the necessity of solving the protracted conflict and raise the issue at the top level meetings with the state and government of Russia, a country mediating the peace talks within the OSCE Minsk Group. The trend is accompanied by refreshed approach of the MG to the conflict resolution. U.S. Co-Chair of the Minsk Group Richard Hoagland has made promising remarks on the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

“An improved version of the previous plans on peaceful settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict has been put on the negotiation table,” he said at a press conference in Yerevan on March 27.

The conflict is perceived as a major hurdle to the regional development needs the second wind to come out of the deadlock.

Long discussions held through mediation of the OSCE Minsk Group and backed by the co-chairing countries leaves almost no hope for final and just resolution of the problem. Many hold strict position on the work done by the mediation group, criticizing them of inactivity and lack of concrete plans for resolution of this bloody conflict emerged as a result of Armenian territorial claims on Azerbaijan. For more than two decades Armenia keeps under occupation over 20 percent of Azerbaijan's internationally recognized territory and refuses to fulfill the UN Security Council resolution on immediate and unconditional withdrawal of Armenian troops from the Azerbaijani territory.

There have been different plans during years and the one currently put on the table is the improved and amended version of the previous plans,” he noted.

Earlier the day, the co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group hold talks on Nagorno-Karabakh at the meeting with the Foreign Minister of Armenia Edward Nalbandian.

Hoagland told journalists that he cannot disclose the details of the plan since the conflicting sides have still to work on some specific points. “...Some of its points may need amendments. That is why we do not speak about all the details in advance,” the diplomat said.

While the OSCE Minsk Group acted as the only mediator in resolution of the conflict, it failed to make significant move to achieve a breakthrough in the peace process, and this is being highlighted by both Azerbaijani and Armenian side.

Since the meetings of presidents in Vienna and St. Petersburg, which took place after the April clashes in 2016, the negotiation process came to the dead end due to the denial of Yerevan to continue serious talks. Azerbaijan has long ago stated it is ready to settle the conflict through direct negotiations with Armenia with mediation of the Minsk Group co-chairs, while the Armenian side constantly tries to make up reasons to postpone the next meeting and to preserve the unacceptable status quo in Nagorno-Karabakh.

Talking to journalists, Hoagland also announced about the upcoming meeting of Azerbaijani and Armenian foreign ministers.

“The foreign ministers of Azerbaijan and Armenia will meet in Moscow in the near future to organize a meeting of the two countries’ presidents,” Hoagland said.

He added that definite work is being done to create appropriate conditions for the meeting of the Azerbaijani and Armenian presidents.

Responding to accusations that the Minsk Group often fails to issue targeted statements, Hoagland said: “I assure we do know what is going on, but because we are mediators, we have to keep a little degree of distance so that we do not overtly offend one side or the other side. When that happens, the possibility for discussion and mediation gets closed down.”

Hoagland reminded that they need to be careful while speaking in public.

“We’ll always note when there is an issue that needs to be called attention to, but we have to be a little careful of what we say in public, even though we know what’s really happening behind closed doors,” he added.

--

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz