Wednesday, July 11 2018 17:41

ArmInfo. There must be preconditions  for positive changes after the meeting of the Foreign Ministers of  Armenia and Azerbaijan, Armenian Deputy Foreign Minister Shavarsh  Kocharyan stated this in an interview with journalists.

He noted that the talks are held in two directions. "First, to try to  ensure progress in the negotiation process, it is glaringly obvious  that in this direction one can not expect progress, judging by the  actions of Baku.  Second,  to prevent the outbreak of hostilities,"  Kocharyan noted.

According to the Deputy Minister, after the agreements in Vienna and  St. Petersburg, the main emphasis was placed on the second component.  "In fact, Azerbaijan does not comply with international agreements,  as well as tripartite agreements reached in 1995. It is very  important to achieve progress in this direction," the Deputy Foreign  Minister noted.

Kocharyan also said that the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs are very well  aware that the two directions are closely interrelated. The deputy  minister stressed that the absence of an atmosphere of confidence  does not allow reaching progress. "And for establishing confidence  both sides should at least refrain from shooting," Kocharyan  stressed.

The Deputy Minister also noted that Azerbaijan hampers the  participation of Artsakh in the negotiation process, since Baku does  not want progress in the negotiations. "If we do not expect progress  in the negotiation process, then we return to participation in the  Nagorno Kharabakh fumes." The problem is whether Azerbaijan wants  progress, "he stressed.

Kocharyan noted that the fact that Azerbaijan impedes the  participation of Artsakh in the negotiations shows that he does not  want progress. "It is known that when Baku wants to achieve some  progress, it immediately starts negotiations with Stepanakert, as it  was in 1994," the Deputy Foreign Minister stressed.  Asked whether  the co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group can influence Baku to stop  hampering Artsakh's participation in the negotiations, Kocharyan said  that the Minsk Group co-chairs do their job, however, they do not  have a mandate for coercion. "Their mandate envisages approachment of  the positions of the parties and prevention of the resumption of  hostilities, and if there is no progress in the negotiations, it is  not the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs who are to blame, but Baku," he  concluded.