The Azerbaijani side is always trying to make it look that no arrangement has been reached on any issue related to the introduction of investigation mechanisms and expansion of the Personal Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office, Ambassador Andrzej Kasprzy’s office
Foreign Minster of Armenia Edward Nalbandian said the aforementioned at a briefing after the 23rd OSCE Ministerial Council meeting held in Hamburg, Germany on Friday.
To the observation that Russian FM Sergey Lavrov noted that there is an argument on where Kasprzy’s expanded team will be allocated in case of its expansion, and that Russia is for their being on the Contact Line, Nalbandian noted: “The Azerbaijani side is always trying to make it look that no arrangement has been reached on any issue related to the introduction of investigation mechanisms and expansion of Kasprzy’s office, and they continue insisting on that. But the [OSCE Minsk Group] Co-Chairs not only mentioned the agreement reached but also noted it is necessary to record progress in regard to the arrangement to create an investigation mechanism. They also noted that it is necessary to remove the obstacles aimed at the expansion of the Personal Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office’s team. Of course, nothing will change if we add their number by a few people. Nothing will change since there are conflict situations which require not 5-10 or twenty people, but 200-300, which again doesn’t change much. But it is very important that a symbolic step is made showing they are moving forward: the observation missions should increase their number, quality and efficiency.”
According to Nalbandian, Azerbaijan was entirely against the expansion, but then it said that the team could be expanded by 7 people, but it should not be allocated on the Contact Line. As per Azerbaijan, they should be sent to Baku, Tbilisi and Yerevan and ask permission from Azerbaijan to come to the Contact Line.
“There are other obstacles too: so far various committee sessions have taken place, which only Azerbaijan hindered. I think Lavrov said the same, and as to the mechanism, Azerbaijan says it is completely against it. According to them, they can introduce the mechanism after the normalization, but what is the meaning of the investigation mechanism then? They have got themselves in a bind. The whole world is talking one thing, but they understand that in a different way. This is a false mirror kingdom, and they are trying to compel others to follow their standpoints,” the FM said.
