OSCE MG Co-Chairs’ visit: Sargsyan-Aliyev meeting at focus

PanARMENIAN.Net - The Co-Chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group from the Russian Federation and France (Ambassador Igor Popov and Ambassador Pierre Andrieu) traveled to the region this week to meet with government leaders and participate in an OSCE Monitoring Mission on the Armenian-Azerbaijani border. The Co-Chairs were joined by the Personal Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office, Ambassador Andrzej Kasprzyk. U.S. Co-Chair Ambassador James Warlick could not attend for personal reasons, but the U.S. side was represented on the trip.

In Baku, the Co-Chairs met with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, and in Yerevan, they met with Armenian President Serzh Sargsian. In Yerevan, they also had consultations with Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian. In both capitals, the Co-Chairs discussed preparations for the upcoming summit hosted by French President Francois Hollande later this month in Paris. The Co-Chairs recounted the recent meetings of the Presidents in Sochi and Wales, and noted the stabilization of the situation along the Line of Contact and border after the increase in violence this summer. They also expressed hope that recent ceasefire violations would not escalate.

Over the past months, repeated Azeri attacks against Armenia and Karabakh have resulted in over 20 deaths at the line of contact.

In addition to their meetings with the Presidents, the Co-Chairs participated in an OSCE Monitoring Mission on the Armenian-Azerbaijani border. On both sides of the border, they met with local officials and commanders to receive a briefing about security conditions. The Co-Chairs urged the sides to take steps to reduce tensions and avoid violence, particularly against the civilian population.

Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian met the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs, Igor Popov, Pierre Andre and the Personal Representative of the OSCE Chairman-in-Office, Andrzej Kasprzyk.

At the meeting, the parties discussed the Karabakh conflict settlement and preparations for the Paris meeting of Armenian and Azeri leaders later this month.

Nalbandian further spoke about increased Azeri ceasefire violations ahead of the meeting, in the usual Baku tradition.

The Minister further slammed Azerbaijan's non-constructive approach to peace talks as well as constant attempts to undermine the settlement. In this context the Foreign Minister mentioned the recent Azeri statement on the "readiness to start talks at expert level", with the latters including aspects Baku alone could benefit from, thus demonstrating its non-serious approach ahead of the Paris meeting.

“It is Baku’s wish that every meeting on the Karabakh conflict settlement were effective to get the process off the ground, Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov said on October 15 adding that Azerbaijan is ready to start working on a “major peace agreement,” Trend reported.

As Mammadyarov noted, a number of proposals were put forth for the establishment of working groups to deal with the return of refugees, transportation and infrastructure issues.

“Azerbaijan is ready to begin such negotiations at the expert level,” the Minister said. “We expect a response from the Armenian side.”

Paris is expected to host a meeting between Armenian and Azeri leaders Serzh Sargsyan and Ilham Aliyev on October 27.

Baku repeatedly expressed “readiness to ink a peace deal,” instead, undermining every attempt to reach an agreement. Thus on June 24, 2011 during conflict settlement talks in Kazan, Baku refused to sign the basic principles for conflict settlement. Instead, the Azerbaijani leader attempted to impose 10 new proposals, thus precluding the possibility of any agreement.