OFFICE CLOSED?
By A. Haroutiunian
AZG Armenian Daily
29/03/2008
Karabakh Issue
Minks Group Official Windbag Bryza says omitting NKR status discussion
makes the talks insensible
The mediating mission of OSCE Minsk Group in the Nagorno-Karabakh
conflict has a history of long years, but it may come to end because
of the position of official Baku, which considers the OSCE format
ineffective.
When in late November 2007, Madrid, the "updated document" on the main
terms of peace settlement was officially handed to the Presidents of
Armenia and Azerbaijan, the OSCE expressed hope that the idea of Minsk
Group Co-Chair Bernard Fassier to "build the wall of peace agreement
brick by brick" would be easier achieved in that way.
The time showed that Azerbaijan, unwilling to go for compromise,
is quite eager for other things. The administration of Aliev Junior,
continuously making warlike statements in connection with NKR conflict
settlement and being encouraged by impunity of such statements, openly
rejected any opportunity of the independence of Karabakh from Baku.
The refusal of Azerbaijan to work with the Minsk Group can be also
considered in context with the warlike declarations. In the meanwhile
OSCE Minsk Group Official Windbag Matthew Bryza tries to explain
it differently. In an interview to "Azeripress" he stated that the
"basic principles" of NKR conflict settlement are nothing else than
preservation of Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity, demilitarization
of Karabakh and adjacent regions, return of the refugees, deployment
of international peacemaking forces, establishment of communication
with Armenia and determination of the status of NKR.
According to Bryza, who usually speaks too much and then says his words
were misinterpreted and misunderstood, reason for Bakus’ refusal to
cooperate with the Minsk Group is the fact that it considers the idea
of Karabakh-Armenia communication extremely pro-Armenian. Moreover,
Azerbaijan is against settling the question of Nagorno-Karabakh
status internationally.
>From Aliev’s interview to Interfax it comes out that the NKR is to
agree to the first four articles, while the question of its status
is not to be observed at all.
The chances of dissolving the Minsk Group would grow in case
Armenia refuses to recognize the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic a part
of Azerbaijan.
Besides, if Azerbaijan deems the establishment of Armenia-Karabakh
communication a great concession on its part, what cessations Armenia
may speak about?
On the other hand the OSCE Minsk Group is neither Bryza, nor Merzliakov
or Fassier. The there are governments that stand behind the Minsk Group
and they are drawn by their own geopolitical interests. Under certain
circumstances, their relationships both with Armenia and Azerbaijan may
rapidly change and the mediation efforts of Minsk Group representatives
turn to nothing. And if even Bryza speaks about insensibility of
negotiating on Karabakh conflict in case Azerbaijan refuses to discuss
the NKR status openly, the "window of opportunities" is really shut
now… And it was shut right at the nose of the Minsk Group.