James Warlick, former U.S. Co-Chair of the OSCE Minsk Group, commented on the finalization of the peace agreement text between Armenia and Azerbaijan, stating that if signed, it could profoundly reshape the region.
He also expressed that, given these developments, there is no longer a necessity for the Minsk Group's continued existence, as reported by Voice of America.
"I hope the OSCE can continue to play a role in the region. But the time for the Minsk Group has passed," Warlick stated.
He added that there are still some obstacles on the path to signing the peace agreement that need to be addressed.
"However, I believe it is possible. The existence of a peace agreement will open a new era, especially for Armenia. Over time, it will promote the improvement of relations among all countries in the region, particularly with Azerbaijan and Turkey," Warlick noted.
According to him, this process will contribute to reducing Armenia's energy and economic dependence on Russia, allowing Yerevan to develop relations with the West, the European Union, and the United States.
Warlick also emphasized that signing the peace agreement will not eliminate the existing distrust between the parties. He noted that this issue remains one of the main challenges, requiring consistent and long-term efforts to overcome.
Former U.S. Ambassador Richard Kauzlarich, in turn, positively assessed Washington's response to the Armenian-Azerbaijani negotiations but emphasized that "it does not define any specific role for the United States in the next steps that, according to the State Department, Armenia and Azerbaijan should take to establish peaceful relations." Kauzlarich believes that Washington should continue to support the parties at diplomatic and other levels.
"I think we can continue our engagement in areas where we have already provided support. For example, we have facilitated the demining process by assisting both Armenia and Azerbaijan, and this is one direction that the U.S. can continue to develop. Additionally, we can have a positive impact on the normalization of relations between Turkey and Armenia by encouraging them to move forward toward normalization," he said.
The former ambassador noted that there are still serious challenges on the path to establishing peace that need to be addressed. These include the presence of EU civilian observers in border areas, the restoration of transport links, and the long-term regulation of relations between Armenia and Azerbaijan after the signing of the agreement.
"The latter provision encompasses the entire spectrum—from demining and neutralizing unexploded ordnance to establishing stable and normal relations between neighboring states. Therefore, I think it is necessary to find comprehensive solutions in the aforementioned four directions," Kauzlarich said.
Regarding Russia's involvement, Kauzlarich noted that after the announcement of the signing of the peace agreement, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan had a telephone conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin, indicating Moscow's interest. However, according to him, Russia continues to focus its primary attention on events in Ukraine.
Armenia and Azerbaijan have announced that work on the text of the peace agreement has been completed, but Baku has presented two conditions for signing the agreement, requiring changes to Armenia's Constitution and the dissolution of the OSCE Minsk Group. The U.S. State Department has stated that it welcomes the parties "on the completion of negotiations on a historic peace agreement."
