At the 26th OSCE Ministerial Council meeting held in the Slovak capital, official Baku has circulated its position regarding the Karabakh conflict.
The meeting was also attended by Armenia’s Foreign Minister; with the mediation and participation of the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs, the Mnatsakanyan-Mammadyarov meeting is scheduled — already the fifth this year.
Elmar Mammadyarov brought with him to Bratislava a document concerning the steps envisioned by official Baku for the settlement of the Karabakh issue, in which, however, there is nothing new. Azerbaijan, which is inclined toward the phased option of conflict settlement, continues to insist in that document as well: — “The first step must be the unconditional withdrawal of Armenian armed forces from the region of Nagorno-Karabakh and other occupied territories of Azerbaijan.” The next step, in Baku’s view, should be the return of the Azerbaijani population, with the observance of all necessary security measures, as well as the opening of communications in the region. Only after these steps will Baku be ready to determine the status of Nagorno-Karabakh, but, as emphasized in the document, within the composition of Azerbaijan, in accordance with Azerbaijan’s Constitution.
“The determination of status must take place within the framework of legal processes in peaceful conditions, with the full and equal participation of Nagorno-Karabakh as a region of Azerbaijan, that is, exclusively through a legal and democratic process of interaction between the Armenian and Azerbaijani communities and the government of Azerbaijan,” is also stated in the document authored by Azerbaijan’s authorities.
Baku finally added that it does not see a political settlement of the conflict outside the frameworks it has indicated.
Before departing for Bratislava, Armenia’s Foreign Minister held detailed discussions with the Karabakh side. According to the official communiqué, Zohrab Mnatsakanyan and Artsakh’s Foreign Minister Masis Mayilyan discussed the expectations and priorities of Armenia and Artsakh ahead of the upcoming meeting. “Both sides emphasized the necessity of the full involvement of the authorities enjoying the mandate of the people of Artsakh in the peace process, particularly regarding the substantive issues of the settlement,” the communiqué stated.
The two ministers also met with Armenia’s Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan.
