Baku urges the OSCE Minsk Group for new proposals on the Karabakh conflict regulation

PanARMENIAN.Net - There is absolutely no guarantee that the USA and the EC, which are anxious about Ilham Aliyev's preservation of the presidential post, react to such "inquiries of Official Baku". According to Azerbaijan's representative to the OSCE Fuad Ismayilov, Azerbaijan might require the OSCE to brief on the process of substituting the Minsk Group Co-chairs, who serve as intermediaries in the process of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict regulation. "Presently Azerbaijan is awaiting a response from the OSCE, after which it will draw a conclusion. Next, for a more detailed investigation of certain procedures, another inquiry will be issued to the OSCE," declared Fuad Ismayilov.

"Official Baku urges the OSCE Minsk Group Co-chairs to put pressure on Armenia and include the issue of restoration of Azerbaijan's territorial integrity into the package of proposals. Official Baku is awaiting new proposals from the Co-chairs. We are hopeful that the new proposals will meet Azerbaijan's interests," Ismayilov said.

However, Ismayilov made a slip by saying that Azerbaijan does not cast a doubt on the OSCE Minsk Group and its mandate. "It was a matter of substitution of certain people - the co-chairs. Theoretically there might arise a situation when it is necessary to substitute Mr. «A» for Mr. «B». But we do not presently face such a requisite. The most important issue to be discussed now is the Co-chairs' statement on completing the list of proposals made in Madrid. I call it a list of proposals. These proposals must be elaborated, taking into consideration Azerbaijan's position. The document must reflect the principles of Azerbaijan's territorial integrity and withdrawal of occupation forces," Fuad Ismayilov considers.

Azerbaijan makes a maximum effort to fasten her viewpoint on the OSCE Minsk Group and the whole world but it does not fully realize the consequences of such an attitude. In the long run blackmail has never been a way to success, whereas it is important for Baku to obtain the support of the world community at the Presidential Elections, which, in all probability, will have even worse results than those of Georgia and Armenia.

Such statements on the part of Baku might have been ignored by the Co-chairs, but for one condition. The co-chairs, especially US intermediary Mathew Bryza, clearly imply the importance of Azerbaijani hydrocarbon for Europe. This encourages Official Baku to behave the way it does. However, Baku should not forget that interests of the U.S.A and the EC are influential, especially now with the rise of oil price and devaluation of the U.S. dollar. The situation might change any minute and Ilham Aliyev knows it best. However, preservation of the president's post is a priority for Aliyev and he is ready to use any propagandistic trick to achieve his aim.

Press Secretary of the Foreign Ministry of Azerbaijan Khazar Ibrahim makes statements which, though with delay, get an adequate response from the Armenian side. Tigran Balayan, Head of the media relation division of the RA Foreign Ministry, notes that the RA MFA is shocked by the absolute diplomatic indiscretion of Azerbaijan. "On the other hand such indiscretion on the Azerbaijani part is not a novelty; it is not the first time that Azerbaijan has displayed imprudence in diplomatic issues. Ibrahim's statements demonstrate his diplomatic ignorance both of international law and the Karabakh process. Moreover, the Press Secretary of the Foreign Ministry of Azerbaijan ventures to comment on the statements of ministers and even heads of state," Balayan notes.

Meanwhile, Sabine Frezier, Europe program director for International Crisis Group (ICG), is certain that OSCE Minsk Group Co-chairs would not mind the EC playing a greater role in the regulation of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. "Ambassador Bernard Fassier regularly informs EU member states about the achievements in the negotiation process. The role of EU is gradually growing. Though, frankly speaking, I doubt that many EU member states would like to be engaged in the process of Nagorno-Karabakh conflict regulation and replace co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group," Frezier says.