Minsk Group co-chairs hold "good talks" in Vienna
By Mushvig Mehdiyev
Co-chairs of the Minsk Group of the Organization for Security and Development in Europe held talks with Austrian officials on March 31 to discuss the Armenian-Azerbaijani Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.
The meeting in Vienna is seen as part of the Minsk Group efforts to beat a path to a peaceful end for the conflict. American Co-Chair, James Warlick called it "good talks" in view of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict's settlement.
"We held good talks with OSCE Minsk Group representatives in Vienna about the events and next steps on the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict," Warlick posted on his Twitter page.
Warlick believes that the OSCE Minsk Group needs to be far more decisive and sensitive in view of the Nagorno-Karabakh peace talks.
"Negotiations in Vienna focused on renewed violence along the line of contact and mediation efforts, as well. We need to make Karabakh peace a priority," he noted.
Periodical escalations on the frontline triggered after deliberate incursion attempts by the Armenian armed forces concern the Minsk Group deeply since armed clashes come in direct confrontation with its peaceful mission.
Following the recent outbreaks on the contact line on March 19, Warlick said renewed violence in Nagorno-Karabakh was tragic and violated the ceasefire regime.
He added that mutual accusations between Yerevan and Baku showing each other as the initiator of hostilities, only serve to make the situation more volatile.
Baku's reprimands against Yerevan is actually fair given the fact it is always Armenia which disrupts and violates tranquility along the line of contact when its leaders order ground incursions against Azerbaijan.
Photo and video facts proving Armenian army's sabotage attempts on Azerbaijani army's positions on March 6 and January 31 this year allow to say that the fingers should be pointed at Armenian brass and leadership for deteriorating the situation on the frontline.
The Minsk Group, which has been created to encourage a peaceful solution to Armenia-Azerbaijani conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh, is headed by a co-chairmanship consisting of France, Russia and the U.S. through special representatives - Pierre Andrieu, Igor Popov and James Warlick consecutively.
True to their traditional calls, Minsk Group mediators have persistently urged Armenia and Azerbaijan to take appropriate measures toward achieving tranquility on the contact line as to prevent tensions from flaring into fatal skirmishes. Mediators already emphasized that a military solution to the conflict is not acceptable.
However, despite mediators' many efforts, the OSCE Minsk Group has failed so far to manifest a breakthrough, especially in light of Armenia's refusal to comply with UN resolutions. And because the group has failed to set up an action plan in view of Armenia's defiance before international law, talks have stalled, offering little to no hope.
Azerbaijan's internationally recognized Nagorno-Karabakh territory was turned into a battlefield and zone of aggravated tensions after Armenia sent its troops to occupy Azerbaijan's lands in the early 1990s. As a result, 20 percent of Azerbaijan's internationally recognized territory stands under military occupation of Armenia.
For the past two decades, and despite calls from the international community, Armenia has refused to withdraw its troops and retreat within its national borders.
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