OSCE Minsk Group process is based on mutual trust, after the incident with Safarov there is no need of a meeting between the presidents of Azerbaijan and Armenia today. This was reported in the interview with “First News and Analyses” by the head of “Modus Vivendi” Center, the former Ambassador to Canada Ara Papyan, referring to the visit of the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs to the Nagorno-Karabakh and Armenia. According to Papyan, Safarov’s extradition and Azerbaijan’s pardon to him proved that there can be no reliance and belief towards Azerbaijan, as a country.
Talking about the effectiveness of the OSCE Minsk Group’s mediation mission, he said that the group should continue its motion, i.e., the Minsk group should try to keep the communication between the two parties, because it is its duty. But he added that but the principles should be changed.
In his opinion, the idea of the Nagorno-Karabakh to be part of Azerbaijan and continuing negotiation process of Azerbaijan to let NKR people self-determine is very wrong. “Of course, people living there have the right to self-determination, but the right to self-determination applies to the case when the region is legally a part of the country. I want to clarify that Karabakh was under the administrative jurisdiction of Azerbaijan, but Nagorno-Karabakh has never been part of Azerbaijan when in the Soviet Union membership. The problem is that Azerbaijan, as a neighbor of Karabakh, either accept or do not accept its existence. But Azerbaijan does not have any right to decide whether to give such a right of self-determination to the NKR people or not.” he said.
Referring to the prospects of peaceful coexistence in the region, Mr. Papyan said that the peace is preserved in the region by the balance of forces, on military, political and diplomatic basis. According to the diplomat, if Armenia is able to maintain that balance with Azerbaijan, peace will continue in the region, and if not there may a question of war, depending on what document will be signed.
