OSCE Minsk Group tries to give some tempo to negotiation process: political technologist

The OSCE Minsk Group is trying to give some tempo to the negotiation process, political technologist Vigen Hakobyan told Aysor.am, referring to the statement of the Azerbaijani foreign minister Elmar Mammadyarov about upcoming meeting with the Armenian counterpart in one of capitals of OSCE Minsk group co-chairing countries.

“The co-chairs have their interests, the geopolitical forces behind them have their interests too, They are trying to use this tendency and tempo. Of course there is some tempo, but I do not think that the parties have reached any decision. It is just about resumption of negotiations and this is what is being registered,” he said.

Hakobyan stressed that the positions of the conflicting parties are extremely contradictory and continue being so after the negotiations as well which is being reflected in their statements.

“Moreover, the Azerbaijani side voices military rhetoric and the Armenian side responds to them,” the political technologist said, adding that the practice showed that when the negotiation process stops sooner or later the parties begin shooting after which it is much more difficult to start negotiations.

“I am convinced that no practical progress has been registered in Vienna. By saying progress I mean rapprochement of positions. They had to meeting with different agendas and cannot come to consent. Roughly speaking, the parties at most succeed in reaching arrangement over stop shooting on the border. I think they also refer to the issue of captives,” Hakobyan said.

Earlier, Azerbaijani foreign minister Elmar Mammadyarov stated that the date of the meeting with Armenian minister Zohrab Mnatsakanyan has been already agreed.

“If to display good will we may register a breakthrough in the process. The Armenian and Azerbaijani leaders have given certain instructions to the foreign ministers and very soon we will have a bilateral meeting,” the Azerbaijani official said.