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Three Differentials Of G20 Statement: MG Co-Chairs Criticize Azerbai

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  • Three Differentials Of G20 Statement: MG Co-Chairs Criticize Azerbai

    THREE DIFFERENTIALS OF G20 STATEMENT: MG CO-CHAIRS CRITICIZE AZERBAIJAN AND ARMENIA, PLAN TO GO FROM PERSUASION TO COERCION.
    By Aris Ghazinyan

    ArmeniaNow reporter
    28.06.12

    During the G20 Summit in Los Cabos on June 18 leaders of the United
    States, France and Russia adopted a joint statement on the Karabakh
    conflict.

    The leaders emphasized that "The parties to the conflict should not
    further delay making the important decisions necessary to reach a
    lasting and peaceful settlement." They also called upon "the leaders of
    Armenia and Azerbaijan to fulfill the commitment ... to "accelerate"
    reaching agreement on the Basic Principles for a Settlement of the
    Nagorno-Karabakh Conflict."

    The co-chairs also expressed their "regret that the Presidents of
    Azerbaijan and Armenia did not take the decisive steps that our
    countries called for".

    Never before had the MG co-chairs' statement been so condemning and
    critical; that's the first main differential aspect of their statement,
    the second being the rather strict warning to leaders of Azerbaijan
    and Armenia emphasizing the importance of making mutual concessions.

    "As evidence of their political will, they should refrain from
    maximalist positions in the negotiations, respect the 1994 ceasefire
    agreement, and abstain from hostile rhetoric that increases tension.

    We urge the leaders to be guided by the principles of the Helsinki
    Final Act - particularly those relating to the non-use of force or
    the threat of force, territorial integrity, and equal rights and
    self-determination of peoples."

    The third differential is that the co-chairing countries seem to be
    laying down their liabilities of warrants guaranteeing non-resumption
    of active hostilities: "Military force will not resolve the conflict
    ...

    We call upon them to make full use of the assistance of the Minsk
    Group Co-Chairs as mediators. However, peace will depend ultimately
    upon the parties' willingness to seek an agreement based on mutual
    understanding, rather than one-sided advantage, and a shared vision
    of the benefits that peace will bring to all their peoples and to
    future generations."

    Within the framework of Security Days conference held in Vienna,
    OSCE Secretary General Lamberto Zannier touched upon the issue on
    June 26, expressing his concerns over the lack of progress in the
    negotiation process.

    "There is an increasing concern there, because the frustration seems to
    be increasing.There have been very robust efforts, political efforts
    to really try to move things forward. The sides have been very close
    to agree to a set of common principles on the basis of which they
    could build a solution... But it's not moving," he said.

    Like the MG co-chairs Zannier, too, criticized the positions of both
    presidents - Armenia and Azerbaijan.

    "There are reasons for concerns. We tried to apply mechanisms, but for
    whatever reasons one of the sides always blocks those initiatives. If
    one of the parties agrees, the other regards it as a bad initiative...

    It is really one of those issues where you wonder whether it's
    about the [OSCE conflict mediation] mechanism or whether the sides
    are not ready to take steps and make decisions that involve certain
    compromises," he said.

    In the meantime, (the same day when the OSCE leader voiced his
    concerns) the Azeri president made another radical statement in Baku
    while addressing the Highest Military College graduates.

    "Azerbaijan is ready to liberate its lands from under occupation, and
    that's the main task of our country," he said. "Over the past few years
    our military expenses have increased twenty times, currently totaling
    to $3.6 billion, which exceeds all of Armenia's state expenses by 50
    percent. Our lands are under occupation. That occupation is ongoing
    and has to be put an end to."

    More than 20 factories and military manufacturing entities have been
    founded in Azerbaijan, presently producing 665 types of military items.

    "Economically Azerbaijan is ten times stronger than Armenia. Our
    state budget is ten times bigger, so are our military expenses. I
    am convinced that due to all these factors we will achieve our goal,
    right the wrong, and restore Azerbaijan's sovereignty. Nagorno Karabakh
    is Azerbaijan's inseparable part," said Aliyev.

    On June 27 the Armenian president stated in response: "Azerbaijan's
    policy led over the past one year, militaristic statements and
    ungrounded self-confidence create tensions both on the line of contact
    and on the Azeri-Armenian border."

    He also reminded that the Los Cabos statement calls to settle the
    issue based on three principles:

    "Azerbaijan shows maximalist approach and in reality accepts only
    one of the three principles, that is of territorial integrity,
    excluding equal rights and self-determination of peoples and the
    peaceful settlement of the conflict," said Sargsyan.

    All of the recent developments "on the democratic front" indicate
    that international structures intend to change their approach to
    the settlement process and go from "persuasion" to "coercion" of the
    sides to peaceful settlement.

    How exactly it might be done is still a question even for the mediators
    themselves.

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