Monday, March 11 2019 15:23

ArmInfo.The parliamentary factions of Armenia disagree on the latest statement of the OSCE Minsk Group.

"The last statement of the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs is worrying for  us," Iveta Tonoyan, MP from the Prosperous Armenia faction, said at a  briefing in the National Assembly. The concern of the "prosperous"  MPs, in particular, was caused by the fact that the statement did not  mention the Vienna and St. Petersburg agreements to create an  environment of trust at the front line. "The fact that the last  statement of the mediators in Baku was received with great enthusiasm  speaks volumes already," Tonoyan stressed. She also stressed that the  provisions on concessions from the Armenian side, which found a place  in the statement of the co-chairs, are not acceptable against the  background of the militaristic threats of Baku.

"I want to note that the only solution to the Karabakh issue is  international recognition of the Republic of Artsakh, there can be no  other opinion," Tonoyan said, adding that the fate of Karabakh cannot  be resolved without taking into account the opinion of Karabakh  people.

In turn, MP from the faction of the ruling "My Step"bloc, head of the  commission on state and legal issues, Vladimir Vardanyan, on the  contrary, said that the Minsk Group co-chairs had nothing out of the  ordinary.  "This is the position of the mediators, but not the  position of Armenia. Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan voiced the  position of Armenia more than once. During the negotiation process,  the parties may express different approaches to the Karabakh  settlement, but so far these are just suggestions," Vardanyan  stressed.  Citing Pashinyan, he stressed that as a result of the  negotiations, a solution must be found that would satisfy the people  of Armenia, Artsakh and Azerbaijan. "I want to note that with their  statement the co-chairs of the Minsk Group just summed up the agenda,  which took place before the velvet revolution in the country,"  Vardanyan stressed.

Referring to the situation in which the mediators talk about the  inexpediency of changing the negotiation format, the MP suggested  that in this case it is about the format of the OSCE Minsk Group  itself. At the same time, Vardanyan assessed the statement rather  positively, as it calls on the parties for an exclusively peaceful  settlement of the conflict on the basis of the Helsinki principles.

"I want to note that such statements have been made before, and it's  not necessary to take the thoughts out of context, try to make a  sensation out of it. This is a common diplomatic statement,"  Vardanyan stressed.

Head of the Bright Armenia faction Edmon Marukyan said that this  statement can hardly be called positive.  "There are several points  in the statement that are cause for concern. Well, take, for example,  at least the fact that the statement says about the need to hold a  new referendum on the status of Artsakh, while in 1991 a referendum  was held, on its basis, Artsakh is self-determined, and no one has  the right to ignore it, "the MP stressed.

Marukyan noted that the statement of the mediators about the  impossibility of changing the format of the negotiations was in hand  to Baku. The MP expressed concern over the provision on the transfer  of territories under the control of Artsakh to Azerbaijan. At the  same time, Marukyan noted that the situation is complicated by the  fact that they are trying to decide the fate of Artsakh without his  participation. And this is impossible. Moreover, he noted, there is a  tough confrontation in the positions of the parties, Azerbaijan is  not ready to recognize the independence of Artsakh, Armenia will not  make territorial concessions. "But negotiating is better than  fighting," concluded Marukyan. 

To note, the latest statement of the OSCE Minsk Group, in particular,  refers to the inexpediency of changing the current format of  negotiations, the transfer of territories under the control of the  Armenian side, the postponed referendum on the status of  Nagorno-Karabakh and the return of refugees to their places of early  residence.