Expert sees OSCE MG’s inaction as main reason for failure to solve Nagorno-Karabakh conflict
By Rashid Shirinov
The main reason for non-resolution of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict is the inaction of the OSCE Minsk Group, said Alexey Fenenko, Russian expert, Associate Professor of the Faculty of World Politics at the Moscow State University (MGIMO).
Fenenko made the remark during discussions on ways of resolving the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, organized by the Baku Network expert council.
The OSCE Minsk Group, the activities of which have become known as the Minsk Process, is working to find a peaceful solution to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict about three decades, but its activities have brought no breakthrough result so far.
The expert did not exclude the possibility of creation of a new format for the conflict settlement.
“A new format for the conflict settlement should be established not in spite of the OSCE Minsk Group, but in addition to it. The creation of such a format on the example of the Astana format [on the Syria talks] would give a chance to move forward in resolving the conflict,” belives Fenenko.
The expert also pointed to weakening of Russia’s influence on the Armenian leadership in the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh problem.
“There is an opinion that Russia has a strong influence on the leadership of Armenia, but in fact, it is not always so,” the expert said.
He said that today Armenia is developing partnerships with NATO states and with the EU in the framework of the Eastern Partnership, and this causes great discontent for Russia.
Russia along with the U.S. and France is a co-chair country of the OSCE Minsk Group established to broker a peace to the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.
Back in June 2016, the Presidents of Azerbaijan and Armenia confirmed in a joint statement after the meeting in St. Petersburg the agreements reached at the summit in Vienna, which were aimed at stabilizing the situation in the conflict zone and the creation of an atmosphere conducive to advancing the peace process.
However, the negotiation process came into stagnation – Armenia, as a party to the negotiation process, shows reluctance, thus tremendously hampering the peace process.
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Rashid Shirinov is AzerNews’ staff journalist, follow him on Twitter: @RashidShirinov
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