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Whether The OSCE Minsk Group Has Exhausted Itself

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  • Whether The OSCE Minsk Group Has Exhausted Itself

    WHETHER THE OSCE MINSK GROUP HAS EXHAUSTED ITSELF
    Vardan Grigoryan

    Hayots Ashkhar Daily
    11 Sep 2008
    Armenia

    Following the Russian-Georgian armed conflict and the recognition
    of the independence of South Ossietia and Abkhazia, both the leaders
    of separate counties and the political scientists made hints on the
    expediency of replacing the OSCE Minsk Group format by another form
    of mediation.

    It doesn't even make sense to discuss the fact that such prospect is
    now simply impermissible for the United States which is represented
    in the trilateral format of the OSCE Minsk Group. This may deprive
    the country of the serious role it played during the past years
    in the settlement of the "longest" and perhaps the most complex
    post-Soviet conflict.

    Therefore, it is not accidental that during his recent visit to Baku,
    Vice President Dick Chainy clearly announced that the Madrid Principles
    elaborated by the OSCE Minsk Group continued to remain in force for
    the United States.

    The same can be said about France which, as a member state of the
    OSCE Minsk Group, represents the European Union, a body interested
    in settling all the South Caucasian conflicts exclusively by peaceful
    methods.

    As regards Russia, Moscow obviously stipulates the issue of maintaining
    the OSCE MG format - a most serious lever of the superpowers' influence
    and cooperation in the Caucasus, by its partners' furth er attitude
    towards the Russian-Georgian conflict. And it is quite natural and
    conceivable as a component of the tactical game. But it can never be
    perceived as an expression of a change in strategy.

    Therefore, in view of the fact that the West is gradually turning
    away from the Georgian leader (who has created serious problems for
    it), Russia is unlikely to take separate steps in the process of the
    settlement of the Karabakh conflict.

    Such boldness also implies relevant responsibility for the final
    results of the settlement of a conflict which will eventually arouse
    dissatisfaction both among the Armenians and the Azeris, who will
    spill out all their anger to Moscow.

    And it is not absolutely accidental that commenting upon Abdullah
    Gul's desire of acting as a mediator between the Armenian and Azeri
    Presidents, Svante Kornel, European Expert on Caucasian Issues and
    Co-Chair of the Security and Development Policy Institute of Stockholm,
    recently announced that "Russia, which is a co-chairing country of
    the OSCE Minsk Group and desires to maintain the existing format,
    will not allow any intervention by Turkey."

    A question arises as to why in that case Turkish President Abdullah Gul
    states that "the OSCE Minsk Group did not manage to attain significant
    results during the 17 years of its existence" and is persistently
    trying to assume the role of a mediator between the Armenian and
    Azeri Presidents. Isn't this Turkey's desire to compromise the OSCE
    MG format and replace it by penetrating into the region?

    The answer to this question was given yesterday by Yuri Merzlyakov,
    the Russian Co-Chair of the OSCE Minsk Group, who particularly said,
    "Acting as a member of the OSCE Minsk Group, Turkey can play an
    important role as a mediator between the Armenian and Azeri Presidents,
    however, it depends upon the desire of the parties." Moreover,
    Mr. Merzlyakov's words made it clear that the proposal on changing the
    format of the OSCE Minsk Group had been elaborated by the Azerbaijani
    Foreign Ministry and lobbyist groups, but "the Russian side has not
    made any statement of the kind."

    That's what it's all about. So we see how wittily and promptly
    the state and political circles of Azerbaijan work. Baku is
    immediately trying to take advantage of the existing problems in
    the Russian-American relations and the positive course of the
    Russian-Turkish dialogue for torpedoing the format of the OSCE
    Minsk Group.
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