Azernews.Az

By Sara Rajabova

Azerbaijan’s Foreign Ministry has criticized James Warlick, the U.S. co-chair of the OSCE Minsk Group for his comments over the recent draft resolution by the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe on the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

“As the co-chairmen of the OSCE Minsk Group have not achieved even slight progress in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict settlement, James Warlick has no right and reason to advise and recommend other organizations anything regarding the conflict settlement,” Hikmet Hajiyev, spokesman for the Foreign Ministry, told Trend on November 6.

PACE’s political affairs committee approved on November 4 a draft resolution for “the withdrawal of Armenian armed forces and other irregular armed forces from Nagorno-Karabakh and the other occupied territories of Azerbaijan, and the establishment of full sovereignty of Azerbaijan in these territories," within the framework of the OSCE Minsk process.

The draft resolution was based on a report, entitled “Escalation of violence in Nagorno-Karabakh and other occupied territories of Azerbaijan,” by PACE rapporteur Robert Walter.

Noting that the essence of the OSCE Minsk Group’s ongoing activity is insignificant, Hajiyev said other international organizations, trying to contribute to the conflict settlement, have no need to consult with the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairmen dealing with pointless activity.

“On the contrary, there is a need for the Minsk Group co-chairmen, in particular James Warlick, to follow and consult with the intentions and principles of the UN Security Council’s resolutions and the General Assembly to resolve the conflict, expressing the will of the international community,” he said. “They should also follow the relevant resolutions of the PACE, the Non-Aligned Movement, OIC and other international organizations.”

Such ineffective activity of the OSCE Minsk Group is in the interests of Armenia, continuing the aggressive policy and striving to maintain the current status quo, according to Hajiyev.

“It is not ruled out that Warlick is an integral element of the plan, serving the continuation of Armenia’s aggressive policy,” Hajiyev said.

While commenting the PACE draft resolution on Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, US co-chairman James Warlick tweeted that PACE and other international organizations should consult with the OSCE Co-chairs before issuing reports or resolutions on Nagorno-Karabakh.

Armenia and Azerbaijan fought a lengthy war that ended with the signing of a fragile ceasefire in 1994. More than 20,000 Azerbaijanis were killed and over 1 million people were displaced as a result of the large-scale hostilities. Since the war, the Armenian armed forces have occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan's territory, including Nagorno-Karabakh and seven surrounding regions.

Armenia continues the occupation in defiance of four UN Security Council resolutions calling for the immediate and unconditional withdrawal of armed forces.

Peace talks brokered by mediators from Russia, France and the U.S. have so far produced no results.

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Sara Rajabova is AzerNews’ staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @SaraRajabova

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