Warlick: Madrid Principles were more in Armenia’s interests than current deal

PanARMENIAN.Net - A negotiated settlement based on the Madrid Principles would have achieved more for Armenia’s interests than the current deal, former U.S. chair of the OSCE Minsk Group James Warlick said Wednesday, November 11.

Warlick's comments came after Armenia, Russia and Azerbaijan signed a statement on the cessation of hostilities in Nagorno-Karabakh and the deployment of Russian peacekeepers in the region.

"The best solution for peacekeeping in Nagorno-Karabakh is an international force without the participation of co-chair or neighboring countries, the gentlemen’s agreement. The parties should begin work on a peace that is not guaranteed only by Moscow," Warlick wrote on Twitter.

"Yes, it is Russia that brokered a settlement and now , the OSCE, the EU and the U.S. Department of State need to engage to bring lasting security and prosperity to the region. It’s just the beginning of a long process.

"A negotiated settlement based on the Madrid Principles, an agreement that was possible years ago, would have achieved more for Armenia’s interests than the current deal."

Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, Russian and Azerbaijani Presidents Vladimir Putin and Ilham Aliyev have signed a deal to end the war in Karabakh after almost 45 days. Karabakh (Artsakh) President Arayik Harutyunyan said on Tuesday that he has agreed to the deal signed by Armenia, Russia and Azerbaijan.