Visiting Yerevan, Lavrov said that attempts by the Council of Europe’s Parliamentary Assembly (PACE) to intervene in the unresolved conflict with such documents only “harm” international peace efforts spearheaded by Russia, the United States and France.
“We — Russia, the United States and France — are firmly against attempts to take this subject to other international platforms that do not deal with the conflict’s settlement, instead of a consistent, businesslike and patient dialogue on the Nagorno-Karabakh settlement. At least, nobody has given them such a task on behalf of the international community,” he said after talks with his Armenian counterpart Edward Nalbandian.
- Lavrov emphasized that only Russia, the U.S. and France have an international mandate to mediate in the Armenian-Azerbaijani dispute within the framework of the OSCE Minsk Group co-chaired by them. “Any drastic, radical actions, whoever takes them, only harm this cause and the work of the co-chairs,” he told reporters.
The Russian minister was commenting on a controversial draft resolution that was approved by the PACE’s Political Affairs Committee last Wednesday. The resolution drawn up by Robert Walter, a pro-Azerbaijani former British parliamentarian, demands Armenian withdrawal from Karabakh and the territory’s return to Azerbaijani rule. It says that the three mediating powers should “consider reviewing” their peace efforts accordingly.
James Warlick, the Minsk Group’s U.S. co-chair, criticized the PACE panel on Friday, saying that the Strasbourg-based body should “consult” with the mediators before weighing in on the Karabakh conflict. The Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry angrily rejected the criticism.
Nalbandian reaffirmed Armenia’s strong condemnation of the proposed PACE document and accused Walter of working for Azerbaijan. “A person who was for many years a member of a pro-Azerbaijani group in the British parliament and who is financed, according to British press reports, from Baku, could not have had an impartial position,” he charged at a joint news conference with Lavrov.
The Karabakh issue was apparently high on the agenda of Lavrov’s latest visit to Armenia, which also involved talks with President Serzh Sarkisian. Sarkisian was quoted by his press office as praising Russia’s role in the Karabakh peace process.
A statement by the office gave no details of their discussion on the issue. It was not clear whether the two men reached any understandings on the mediators’ efforts to organize a meeting of Sarkisian and his Azerbaijani counterpart Ilham Aliyev next month. The mediators hope that the summit will help to revive the stalled peace process and defuse increased tensions on Armenian-Azerbaijani frontlines.
[asbarez.com]
9/11/15
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In an exclusive interview with Armenpress, OSCE Minsk Group U.S. Co-Chair James Warlick has said that the Minsk Group is currently organizing a meeting of the presidents of Armenia and Azerbaijan before the end of the year. Warlick also commented on recent incidents on the border, clarifying what he believes create obstacles for the negotiation process...
ReplyDeleteMr. Ambassador, first of all let me thank you for giving this interview. After your last visit to the region, you announced that the presidents of Armenia and Azerbaijan, Serzh Sarkisian and Ilham Aliyev, have expressed their desire to meet by the end of the year. Could you please tell us when and where the presidents will meet? What does the OSCE expect from that meeting? Can we expect the meeting bring sides closer to signing a peace agreement?
During the co-chairs’ last trip to the region, the presidents committed to attending a summit before the end of the year and the co-chairs are preparing accordingly with the foreign ministers. We expect the presidents to discuss key elements of a settlement. We would also encourage them to use the opportunity to find ways to reduce tensions and end violence, including casualties among innocent civilians.
Mr. Ambassador, a lot of experts and politicians have called the situation, “negotiations just for negotiations.” Do you agree with that opinion?
There is no alternative to diplomacy. Without the active mediation of the co-chairs and the participation of the sides in negotiations, the risk of military conflict would increase. Last October, the presidents committed to intensifying their dialogue and we hope the upcoming summit will revitalize their channel of communication...........http://asbarez.com/141619/no-alternative-to-diplomacy-for-artsakh-conflict-settlement-says-u-s-co-chair/