YEREVAN. – The Minsk Group Co-Chairs’ visit to the region showed that the Nagorno-Karabakh (NK) peace talks have met an impasse, stated Giro Manoyan—Director of the International Secretariat of the Armenia’s opposition ARF Dashnaktsutyun Party Bureau and Head of the Armenian Cause Office—during a press conference on Wednesday. 

In his words, the Co-Chairs’ conclusion that the talks will continue on the level of the Armenian and Azerbaijani FMs and a meeting between the two presidents is not expected yet, shows that the Co-Chairs are attempting to start negotiations in order to reduce the chance of war.   

Manoyan believes that Armenia and the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic (NKR) need to step up efforts toward the recognition of NKR’s independence. 

Also the ARF representative maintained that NKR President Bako Sahakyan’s proposal made to the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs, and whereby Nagorno-Karabakh must return to the negotiation table, is appropriate.  

“If the Co-Chairs are sincere, they should give that opportunity to NK, so as to show Azerbaijan that it cannot keep these negotiations as a hostage to its dispositions,” Giro Manoyan noted.  

Photo by Sona Barseghyan/NEWS.am