Month: February 2020

BAKU, Azerbaijan, Jan. 31

By Matanat Nasibova – Trend:

The populist statements of the Armenian current leadership are usually voiced for the sole purpose of resolving numerous domestic political problems in Armenia, Head of the Baku Network Expert Council, PhD Elkhan Alasgarov told Trend.

In this sense, recent remarks made by Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan at a press-conference in Armenia’s Kapan town once again confirmed this.

Referring to the Armenian media, the expert reminded that Pashinyan actually accused Armenian ex-President Serzh Sargsyan that during his power, a document on the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict settlement was adopted, which, according to Pashinyan, was on the negotiating table. In accordance with the document, Armenia was to transfer seven occupied districts to Azerbaijan.

“Pashinyan thereby accused his opponents, the Karabakh clan, including Sargsyan, of allegedly agreeing to withdraw the Armenian troops from the occupied Azerbaijani territories, in particular, to return seven Azerbaijani districts with the condition of preserving the corridor between Armenia and Karabakh,” Alasgarov said.

“Obviously, Pashinyan wants to solve various socio-economic problems, including those related to the purchase of Russian gas, and at the same time, he is trying to win Sargsyan’s associates, the Karabakh clan to his side,” the expert said. “In fact, he is trying to divert the attention of Armenian people from economic problems to those on the political agenda.”

Further, the expert drew attention to the negative reaction of the OSCE Minsk Group to the statements of the Armenian Prime Minister, calling it reasonable.

“The dissatisfaction of the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs is quite justified, since the Armenian prime minister struck the blow not only to the negotiation process, but also to the position of international mediators that has been developed over many years. In my opinion, Pashinyan framed the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs with this statement. Thought in the framework of the meeting of the Azerbaijani and Armenian foreign ministers with the participation of the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs, international mediators expressed dissatisfaction with the Armenian foreign minister,” Alasgarov said.

The Azerbaijani expert suggested that at the negotiating table in Geneva, the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs might invite Mnatsakanyan to make a statement that would disavow Pashinyan’s recent statements on the settlement of the Karabakh conflict.

“If the Armenian minister is not proactive on this issue, it is quite possible that the international mediators will issue a new statement confirming the fact that the Armenian side behaved incorrectly, making the OSCE Minsk Group’s long-term activity useless and worthless,” Alasgarov said.

The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts.

The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on withdrawal of its armed forces from Nagorno Karabakh and the surrounding districts.

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Head of the Expert Council of the Baku Network, PhD Elkhan Alasgarov

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BAKU, Azerbaijan, Jan. 31

By Elchin Mehdiyev – Trend:

While the negotiations between Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov and Armenian Foreign Minister Zohrab Mnatsakanyan were held in Geneva, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan visited the occupied Azerbaijani territories, Azerbaijani political analyst Shabnam Hasanova told Trend.

“Of course, this step not only overshadows the negotiation process, but it is also at odds with efforts which are made to resolve the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict as a whole,” the political analyst said.

“These Pashinyan’s actions are nothing more than an attempt to divert attention in a different direction through various maneuvers,” Hasanova said. “Pashinyan has always resorted to this trick. His authority among the Armenian citizens is undermined, and he is trying to attract attention by any means, including populist statements and maneuvers.”

“On the eve of the meeting of the Azerbaijani and Armenian foreign ministers in Bratislava in December 2019, Pashinyan used a similar method. This is evidenced by his visit to Nagorno Karabakh and a meeting with separatists, as well as by the statement of the press secretary of the “leader” of so-called “Nagorno Karabakh Republic” David Babayan about the impossibility of a meeting between the Armenian and Azerbaijani communities,” the political analyst said.

Shabnam Hasanova emphasized that the format of negotiations within the framework of the OSCE Minsk Group is unchanged, Azerbaijan and Armenia are the only parties to the negotiations, and Pashinyan’s dream of setting Karabakh separatists at the negotiating table is doomed to collapse, like his other aspirations and maneuvers.

Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov and Armenian Foreign Minister Zohrab Mnatsakanyan met in Geneva on Jan. 29. On the eve of the meeting, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan visited Nagorno Karabakh, where he met with separatist leader Bako Sahakyan and took part in presenting service quarters to Armenian soldiers.

The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts.

The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on withdrawal of its armed forces from Nagorno Karabakh and the surrounding districts.

BAKU, Azerbaijan, Jan. 31

By Ilhama Isabalayeva – Trend:

US Ambassador to Azerbaijan Lee Litzenberger has commented on the latest meeting of Azerbaijani and Armenian foreign ministers with mediation of OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs, Trend reports.

He said it is always gratifying to see parties meet to conduct constructive and substantive negotiations,

Litzenberger expressed hope that the public read the joint statement of the Foreign Ministers of Azerbaijan and Armenia and the co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group after the talks.

“Once again, we hope that the negotiations will continue,” the ambassador said.

A meeting between the Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov and his Armenian counterpart Zohrab Mnatsakanyan was held in Geneva on Jan. 28-30.

The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts.

The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on withdrawal of its armed forces from Nagorno Karabakh and the surrounding districts.