ArmInfo. The negotiation process was at a point where, refusing the offers of mediators, the Armenian authorities emphasize the security and status of Artsakh. At the same time, even this position is devoid of strategy, which would allow the other negotiators to hope for agreement with it. Head of the ARF Bureau's Hay Dat and Political Affairs Office Kiro Manoyan expressed a similar opinion to ArmInfo.
"The Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Armenia declare that Armenia is the guarantor of Artsakh's security. However, there is not a single legal basis confirming their statements. The international community simply does not understand the position of Armenia. Azerbaijan uses this, claiming that it is impossible to return Artsakh to the process in the conditions of deployment of the Armenian Armed Forces on the Line of Contact. This whole situation even more indicates the lack of Yerevan's own strategy for resolving the conflict, "he said.
In this light, the politician sees the need for Yerevan to initiate steps that contribute to the international recognition of Artsakh. The first among them, according to his estimates, is the signing of the Strategic Cooperation Agreement between Yerevan and Stepanakert. This agreement, without imposing any new obligations on Armenia, will only lay the foundation of existing cooperation and, accordingly, all the statements made by Pashinyan and Mnatsakanyan, will have legal justification.
After that, according to Manoyan, it will become possible to initiate, in fact, the process of international recognition of Artsakh, thereby initiating diplomatic pressure on Azerbaijan. According to his forecasts, it will be difficult for Yerevan to follow such a strategic line. And, of course, such innovations in the Artsakh policy of Armenia will cause significant dissatisfaction with the mediators of the OSCE Minsk Group.
"Nevertheless, we must go for it, taking into account all this discontent and expected difficulties. This path should be taken as far as the popularity of the current authorities of Armenia allows that. I believe that our authorities have the opportunity to take bold steps in the settlement, relying on own popularity and legitimacy in Armenia, "Manoyan concluded.
Since 1992, the OSCE Minsk Group, represented by the co-chairs from Russia, the USA and France, has been engaged in the settlement of the Karabakh conflict. Currently, the settlement process is nominally based on the Madrid Principles put forward by the OSCE Minsk Group in 2007 in Madrid and the Madrid Principles updated in 2009, which contain a phased and package settlement plan and deployment of a peacekeeping contingent in the conflict zone.