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SABINE FREIZER: IT IS UNLIKELY THAT TURKEY WILL GET FRANCE REPLACED IN OSCE MG
arminfo
Monday, February 6, 14:43
Sabine Freizer, the Istanbul-based director of the International
Crisis Group's Europe Program, in an interview with Sunday's Zaman
commented on the chances of any changes in co-chairs, saying it is
unlikely that Turkey will get France replaced. "I don't believe that
Turkey will get much support from the OSCE states when it tries to
link the problems of the Minsk Group with the passage of legislation
in France that penalizes persons denying the genocide," she said.
"Turkey needs to get the support of all 56 participating states --
or at least of the country that chairs the organization at that
time. It will also need the support of Armenia, Azerbaijan and the
other three current co-chairing countries, the US, France and Russia,"
Freizer added.
The OSCE, the world's largest security-oriented intergovernmental
organization, works on the basis of consensus, so if Armenia, as a
member of the OSCE, vetoes Turkey's co- chairmanship of the Minsk
Group, Turkey cannot become the Mink Group's co-chair.
Freizer also stated that when the issue of replacing France as co-chair
by another EU country was on the table, her team was in favor,
saying that "the EU would be responsible for much of the technical
[nation building] and financial support if there is ever a peace
agreement." Hence, the expert thinks that any kind of change in the
leadership of the Minsk Group will be difficult to pass.
Considering the Minsk Group format in many ways outdated, Freizer
thinks that a serious discussion is needed on the value and
effectiveness of the Minsk Group format.
arminfo
Monday, February 6, 14:43
Sabine Freizer, the Istanbul-based director of the International
Crisis Group's Europe Program, in an interview with Sunday's Zaman
commented on the chances of any changes in co-chairs, saying it is
unlikely that Turkey will get France replaced. "I don't believe that
Turkey will get much support from the OSCE states when it tries to
link the problems of the Minsk Group with the passage of legislation
in France that penalizes persons denying the genocide," she said.
"Turkey needs to get the support of all 56 participating states --
or at least of the country that chairs the organization at that
time. It will also need the support of Armenia, Azerbaijan and the
other three current co-chairing countries, the US, France and Russia,"
Freizer added.
The OSCE, the world's largest security-oriented intergovernmental
organization, works on the basis of consensus, so if Armenia, as a
member of the OSCE, vetoes Turkey's co- chairmanship of the Minsk
Group, Turkey cannot become the Mink Group's co-chair.
Freizer also stated that when the issue of replacing France as co-chair
by another EU country was on the table, her team was in favor,
saying that "the EU would be responsible for much of the technical
[nation building] and financial support if there is ever a peace
agreement." Hence, the expert thinks that any kind of change in the
leadership of the Minsk Group will be difficult to pass.
Considering the Minsk Group format in many ways outdated, Freizer
thinks that a serious discussion is needed on the value and
effectiveness of the Minsk Group format.