Foreign Ministers' meeting raises hopes, but Yerevan may thwart off talks
By Rashid Shirinov
Another meeting of the Azerbaijani and Armenian Foreign Ministers organized by the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs has been held in New York last weekend.
The meeting was not distinguished by loud statements – Elmar Mammadyarov, Edward Nalbandian, the co-chairs (Igor Popov of the Russian Federation, Stephane Visconti of France, and Andrew Schofer of the United States of America) and the Personal Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office, Ambassador Andrzej Kasprzyk discussed the current situation in the conflict zone and exchanged views on the settlement of the protracted Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.
Foreign Minister Mammadyarov stated that Azerbaijan supports the interesting proposals of co-chairs for continuation of substantial negotiations on the settlement of conflict, and noted that Azerbaijan always stands ready for logical negotiations to achieve the soonest resolution.
One of the most important issues addressed at the meeting was the organization of a meeting of Azerbaijani and Armenian Presidents in the near future.
Either way, the meeting of Azerbaijani and Armenian Foreign Ministers in New-York made its contribution to the process of peaceful settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.
Azerbaijani political scientist Fikrat Sadikhov said generally, the meeting was positive.
"The Azerbaijani minister said that there were some constructive suggestions from the co-chairs. Although the meaning of these proposals were not disclosed, judging by our minister’s statement, there are very interesting positive nuances that can be discussed at the forthcoming meeting of the presidents of two countries,” he said in an interview with Azernews on September 26. “If so, this meets our interests, and is an important outcome of these negotiations for us.”
Sadikhov also reminded Nalbandian’s recent statement about the alleged return of five occupied regions to Azerbaijan, and words of the former U.S. co-chair of the Minsk Group Richard Hoagland about the necessity of liberation of seven occupied regions.
“If the negotiations continue in this direction and these questions are on agenda of the two presidents, this will be a positive factor,” the expert said.
Sadikhov also spoke about the meeting planned to be held between Presidents Aliyev and Sargsyan.
“I think the meeting will take place, but it, of course, should have constructive and substantive nature. It should be held not for the sake of a meeting but for addressing specific issues that meet the norms and principles of international law,” he noted. “That is, the release of the Azerbaijani territories captured by Armenia, in the first stage.”
Sharing his views on Armenia’s future attitude in the settlement process, the expert suggested that the country will be evasive, will try to delay the negotiation process, and try to shy away from a constructive meeting.
“Nevertheless, if the co-chairs will put some influence and pressure – it [Armenia] will have nowhere to go. Sooner or later it will sit down at the negotiating table and will do what needs to be done,” Sadikhov said.
Political scientist, MP Rasim Musabayov, in turn, thinks that there is no need to talk about any progress in the negotiations following the New-York meeting.
“The parties listened to what the co-chairs of the Minsk Group are working on, agreed to host them in October, and depending on whether it will be possible to bring together the positions of the parties in October – to consider the issues of the presidents’ meeting,” he said.
The expert, however, does not believe the meeting of the Azerbaijani and Armenian presidents to take place in the near future.
“Taking into account that Serzh Sargsyan ends his term in spring, I have a big doubt that there is the point in this meeting,” Musabayov noted.
He added that taking into account the fact that Serzh Sargsyan is already on the way out, there is no point to talk with him, given the position and the non-constructive policy that he takes.
The meetings of Azerbaijani and Armenian Foreign Ministers and Presidents on the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict have not yielded any tangible progress so far due to the unconstructive position of Armenia on this issue.
The Armenian government continues to play for time and avoids substantive negotiations in order to preserve the inadmissible status quo in Nagorno-Karabakh. It is obvious that the international community and the OSCE Minsk Group in the first place should exert pressure on the occupier country, make it withdraw troops from 20 percent of Azerbaijan’s occupied lands, and then continue peaceful negotiations on the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict in order to stop this dangerous hotbed in the South Caucasus.
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Rashid Shirinov is AzerNews’ staff journalist, follow him on Twitter: @RashidShirinov
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