It is time for Baku to change it “constructive” position a really constructive one, Armenian Deputy FM Shavarsh Kocharyan stated as he commented on Azerbaijan’s statements on the results of the Sochi meeting on March 5.
Specifically, it is a statement by Novruz Mamedov, Head of the Foreign Relations Department, who accused Armenia of holding a “permanently destructive” position and said that the Armenian side’s position allegedly changed to an extent.
“We do not need to change our position. As the Armenian Foreign Minister stated at the OSCE Permanent Council in Vienna, March 3, Armenia said ‘yes’ to the revised Madrid principles submitted last June, October and December.
“A couple of weeks ago the Co-Chairs, speaking at the OSCE Political Council, called on the sides to say a clear ‘yes’ to the latest proposals, without any reservations or amendments. Since Armenia had said ‘yes’ to the proposals, the Co-Chairs had obviously been expecting Azerbaijan to change its position and say a clear ‘yes’,” Sh. Kocharyan said.
If Azerbaijan had said “yes” at the latest meeting, without any new reservations, that would have been a clear step forward in the peace process. “A relevant statement would have been made in addition to the most positive statements by the three presidents in Sochi, on further implementation of the Astrakhan declaration of October 27, 2011,” Sh. Kocharyan said.
“If, according to Azerbaijan, sabre-rattling and provocations on the line of contact are ‘most sincere efforts’ to peaceful settle the conflict’, it is then clear why, after the Mayendorf declaration, the Azeri leaders stated that a peace settlement did not mean nonuse of force. After the Sochi statement, which clearly says that the sides must settle all the disputable issues peacefully, Azerbaijan’s interpretation says it is not guarantee of peace. No comments,” Sh. Kocharyan said.
Armenian News-NEWS.am reminds readers that, after considering the implementation of the Astrakhan statement of October 27, 2010, at their March 5 meeting in Sochi, the Presidents also agreed on additional steps.
The first step is completing the POW exchange process as soon as possible. However, no Azeri POWs are in the Armenian territory now, whereas Azerbaijan is still keeping Armenian POWs.
The second point envisages settling all the disputable issues in a peaceful way and investigating possible incidents on the line of contact with the parties` participation, under the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs` auspices and with the assistance of the Special Representative of the OSCE Chairman-in-Office. According to diplomatic sources, the Azeri leader reluctantly agreed to this point.
