MINSK GROUP HAS BEEN FORMAL SINCE ITS INCEPTION: POLITICAL EXPERT

Today.Az
/57142.html
Nov 3 2009
Azerbaijan

Day.Az interview with Azerbaijani political expert Fikrat Sadigov.

Day.Az: Is intensification of the Armenian-Azerbaijani meetings on
resolution of the Karabakh conflict linked with intensified efforts
of the OSCE Minsk Group or there is a real document for discussions
on the table?

Fikrat Sadigov: The OSCE Minsk Group has become a group of observers
rather than mediators. They only arrange a meeting venue and agenda
is prepared by the Heads of State.

The MG activities have a certain formality. It seeks a legal balance
with two sides whose views on settlement of the Karabakh conflict are
not equal under international law. Baku’s position is much stronger
than that of Yerevan. If to take principles of international law
as basis, and it is high time to dot "i’s" and cross "t’s" and call
Armenia an aggressor.

The MG has been formal since its inception, so I think that it was
created in order to prevent Azerbaijan from recovering its lands by
military means. Meantime, Azerbaijan’s maximum compromise is that
it agrees on the initial return of the seven regions by Armenia,
and then to discuss the status of Karabakh.

In fact, at the very beginning the OSCE Minsk Group supported
Azerbaijan, and then began to overly balance the two conflicting
countries.

Q: May format of the OSCE MG be changed?

A: I think it is possible. It is high time to replace France with
England or Germany. Turkey also offers mediation services. I propose to
extend the OSCE Minsk by two or three countries. To do this Minsk Group
needs to convene a second conference of representatives of all OSCE
Minsk Group countries, where changes to the MG format can be proposed.

I think that Azerbaijan should initiate this conference and should
not be ashamed of anything in this respect.

Q: Is an agreement on return of Azerbaijan’s five or seven regions
likely to be signed soon?

A: I remember the statement by co-chairs Matthew Bryza and Yuri
Merzlyakov who stated that Azerbaijan’s five regions will be returned
in the first stage of the settlement of the Karabakh conflict by the
end of this year. Another two regions of Azerbaijan (Kalbajar and
Lachin) were to be demilitarized in the second stage and international
peacekeeping force was to be deployed there.

Q: To what extent Azerbaijan’s stance on Karabakh issue has changed
following signing of the Armenia-Turkey protocols in Zurich?

A: The signing of the protocols in Zurich distracted world attention
from the Karabakh conflict and liberation of the five occupied regions
by Armenia. This strengthened Armenia’s stance. Therefore negative
reaction of the Azerbaijani public and leadership on these protocols
is understandable.