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OSCE MG format should change for progress in Karabakh peace talks – expert

Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict Materials 6 April 2016 16:22 (UTC +04:00)

Baku, Azerbaijan, Apr. 6

By Elena Kosolapova - Trend:

To achieve progress in peace talks on the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict it is important to change the format of the OSCE Minsk Group, which for more than 20 years hasn't contributed to its solution, says Aidos Sarym, Kazakh political analyst and director of the Altynbek Sarsenbayev Foundation.

"Therefore, it is time to change the format, to bring in new negotiators, perhaps, such as Turkey and Kazakhstan," Sarym, who also previously served as an adviser to Kazakhstan's information minister, told Trend Apr. 6.

He believes that a new format of the negotiators' group may help find new ways to solve the conflict.

Today, international community stands for ceasing shootings in the zone of conflict, said Sarym.

"The unresolved conflict hinders the entire region's development, bringing threat of deterioration of the situation at any time and it is necessary that the world powers and international organizations make great efforts to find a final solution," he added.

Sarym noted that Armenia's position on the Nagorno-Karabakh issue is unconstructive, since they simply say it is "their land", and they don't intend to make a compromise.

"International community should put pressure on Armenian authorities, possibly up to the imposition of sanctions in order to force them to change their position and make progress in the peace talks," he added.

Speaking about the recent escalation of situation along the line of contact between the Azerbaijani and Armenian troops in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict zone, the expert said that during the past days Azerbaijan has showed the power of its army.

Sarym said Azerbaijan is much stronger than Armenia both militarily and economically, and Armenia can't resist Azerbaijan without the external support, in particular, that of Russia - an ally of Armenia in the Eurasian Economic Union (EEU) and Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO), and the support of diasporas.

The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, in 1992 Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts.

The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on withdrawal of its armed forces from the Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding districts. On the night of April 2, 2016, all the frontier positions of Azerbaijan were subjected to heavy fire from the Armenian side, which used large-caliber weapons, mortars and grenade launchers.

The armed clashes resulted in deaths and injuries among the Azerbaijani population. Azerbaijan responded with a counter-attack, which led to liberation of several strategic heights and settlements.

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Follow the author on Twitter: @E_Kosolapova

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