Karabakh mediators: silence of the lambs or life-losing diplomacy

June 19, 2012 - 18:45 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net - On June 18, Paris hosted Karabakh settlement meeting of Armenian and Azeri Foreign Ministers, Edward Nalbandian and Elmar Mammadyarov.

Without meeting details announced, OSCE MG co-chairs and ministers issued yet another joint statement expressing concern over incidents at contact line, urging to adhere to ceasefire agreement and promising further efforts to settle the conflict.

In Karabakh capital, the officials believe the Paris-hosted meeting to be a preparation to the oncoming meeting of Armenian and Azeri leaders. Well, let’s wait and see.

Also, in the framework of G-20 summit, Presidents of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chair countries, Vladimir Putin (Russia), Barack Obama (U.S.) and Francois Hollande (France) issued a joint statement on Nagorno Karabakh conflict settlement.

The statement, like many previous ones, expressed commitment to a peaceful settlement of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict, called to “accelerate” reaching agreement on the Basic Principles for a Settlement of the Nagorno Karabakh Conflict. The parties also urged the leaders to be guided by the principles of the Helsinki Final Act – particularly those relating to the non-use of force or the threat of force, territorial integrity, and equal rights and self-determination of peoples. The parties pledged to work closely to achieve peaceful settlement.

As expected, neither OSCE MG co-chairs, nor the presidents of the co-chairing countries dared face the truth, and point out to the side undermining settlement talks, ignoring mediators’ urges and armament-related treaties. Seems like superpowers are guided by their own interests (is it only oil?) in turning a blind eye to Azeri negligence to their urges, Baku’s permanent ceasefire violations and attacks of Armenian border villages. One of such attacks was, in fact timed to U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s visit to South Caucasus. The Secretary, however, showed little interest in the incident.

The mediators have also conveniently “forgotten” about Azeri attacks at the border with Artsakh, which claimed the lives of Armenian and NKR soldiers, as well as Azeri saboteurs.

Neither did the co-chairs notice reports on Azeri snipers’ deployment at the border with Armenia.

Such connivance of Baku’s criminal actions poorly matches urges for rapid and peaceful settlement of Karabakh conflict. Or is a demonstration of diplomacy? Yet, Armenia and Artsakh are the ones to pay for it with the lives of their soldiers.