Azernews.Az

By Amina Nazarli

The inefficient activities of the OSCE Minsk Group, which is brokering for peace in the long-lasting Nagorno-Karabakh conflict for over 20 years without any effect achieved so far, have been criticized for many years.

The 'trio' of international mediators representing the U.S., Russia and France, did not take any strong steps to move the conflict from a standstill, hereby leading to a broad gap in the peace process.

Thierry Mariani, former transport minister and member of the French National Assembly, pointing to no obvious shift in the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict during the past years, said no progress will ever be in the activity of this group.

“The activity of the OSCE Minsk Group has not moved from the deadlock,” he told Dailykarabakh, adding that he supports those, who do not believe in the efforts of this group.

Armenia captured the Nagorno-Karabakh and seven adjacent regions in a bloody war in 1990s that was a result of its illegal territorial claims against Azerbaijan. Large-scale hostilities ended with a Russia-brokered ceasefire in 1994 but Armenia continued the occupation in defiance of four UN Security Council resolutions calling for immediate and unconditional withdrawal.

In 1994, the OSCE Budapest Summit established the so-called Minsk Group to find a peaceful solution to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

Mariani said the OSCE Minsk Group has little advantages and weak role in establishing dialogue and relations between Armenia and Azerbaijan.

"The hope is to hold joint discussions of the conflicting sides - Armenia and Azerbaijan. There is no doubt that the conflict solution depends on the will of a country that has more power in the region and that has a trump card in the hands. Everyone knows that Armenia is under economic and political pressure from Russia. So, I think that the truth can not be concealed. If Moscow wants to solve the problem, there would be a shift in the process,” he said.

He went on to say that first of all the regions around Karabakh must be returned. “Of course, the return of the regions around Karabakh may also be a certain shift. In a word, all the tools are in the hands of Russia, and this issue is up to Moscow".

Impunity makes Yerevan even more rampant and constant violations of the ceasefire reached in 1994 and repeated provocations on the front line have become a daily occurrence. Various terrorist and extremist groups are conducting training operations in these areas under the auspices of the Armenian government.

The truce can be achieved if the occupied Azerbaijani territories are returned and justice is restored, Mariani emphasized.

“It will also reduce the military attempts between Armenia and Azerbaijan, allow to invest in the military funds in the civil sphere. So, first it needs to restore peace. With regards to the cooperation between Armenia and Azerbaijan, it is clear that this process can begin only after the conflict is resolved between the two countries".

---

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz