FRANCE NOT LIKELY TO CEDE ROLE TO GERMANY IN MINSK GROUP – ARMENIAN ANALYST

16:55 * 22.01.15

In an interview with Tert.am, political analyst Aghasy Yenokyan
commented on possible changes in the OSCE Minsk Group format,
addressing the reports that Germany may replace France as a mediator
in the Nagorno-Karabkh conflict settlement talks.

Addressing German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s statement expressing
her country’s readiness to act as a negotiator in the process, the
expert said he doesn’t think that such a scenario would be promising
for Armenia.

“I find that the Minsk Group does fulfill its main functions, i.e. –
conducting negotiations and preventing a large-scale war. Hence,
I do not think that it would be right to speak of Minsk Group’s
non-effectiveness, attributing all that to France. Let me mention
meantime that France’s presence in the Minsk Group is not without any
reason tall; neither [has it been selected] it at our own will. It
resulted from serious negotiations, so to decide and replace it with
Germany is not possible,” he said.

“On the other hand, given Germany’s not quite constructive position
on Russia – especially after the Ukraine conflict – all this promises
quite a negative prospect to Armenia/”

Yenokyan further pointed out to France’s interest in the South
Caucasus. “When all this process began, France was really interested
in our region, and I don’t think its interest is any less today. So
I don’t expect it to breach the status quo and cede its position
willingly,” he added.

Yenokyan said he doesn’t expect a new format to raise the effectiveness
of the ongoing peace talks. “There have been many attempt of the kind
– to transfer [the negotiations] to the European Union, Council of
Europe or the United Nations – but the Minsk Group is exactly the
one that conducts the negotiations professionally.

Moreover, the Minsk Group has been created for that very purpose; it
is a special body pursuing its own target. Hence those organizations,
which haven’t passed that path of twenty or so years, will essentially
hamper the process,” he added.