Azerbaijan's attempt to escape from OSCE MG failed, expert says

January 25, 2012 - 13:15 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net - The main achievement of Sochi meeting between Armenian, Russian and Azerbaijan Presidents is that Azerbaijan failed to change the OSCE Minsk Group format or to transfer the Nagorno Karabakh problem settlement to other international institutions, according to the director of the Institute of History at the RA National Academy of Sciences.

“Talks are still in progress and no matter how assiduously Aliyev tries to “run away” from Minsk Group, he will fail,” Ashot Melkonyan told a press conference in Yerevan.

“Azerbaijan's strive to change the MG format is explained by desire to settle Karabakh conflict by the use of force,” he said, adding that he denies the possibility of a new war, as Azerbaijan understands the danger of failure and another defeat by the Armenian side.

At January 23 trilateral presidential meeting in Sochi Presidents of Armenia and Azerbaijan stressed the need to refrain from extreme measures, calling for continuation of approximating positions.

“Considering the importance of shifting to development of peace agreement, Presidents of Armenia and Azerbaijan expressed readiness to expedite reaching an agreement on Basic principles,” Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said, adding that heads of the two stated had requested Russia to mediate establishing of humanitarian ties between the two countries.