Monday, May 11 2020 11:15

ArmInfo. The negotiation process was at a point where, refusing the offers of mediators, the Armenian authorities emphasize the security and status of Artsakh. At the same time, even this position is devoid of strategy, which would allow the  other negotiators to hope for agreement with it. Head of the ARF  Bureau's Hay Dat and Political Affairs Office Kiro Manoyan expressed  a similar opinion to ArmInfo.

"The Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Armenia declare that  Armenia is the guarantor of Artsakh's security. However, there is not  a single legal basis confirming their statements. The international  community simply does not understand the position of Armenia.  Azerbaijan uses this, claiming that it is impossible to return  Artsakh to the process in the conditions of deployment of the  Armenian Armed Forces on the Line of Contact. This whole situation  even more indicates the lack of Yerevan's own strategy for resolving  the conflict, "he said.

In this light, the politician sees the need for Yerevan to initiate  steps that contribute to the international recognition of Artsakh.  The first among them, according to his estimates, is the signing of  the Strategic Cooperation Agreement between Yerevan and Stepanakert.  This agreement, without imposing any new obligations on Armenia, will  only lay the foundation of existing cooperation and, accordingly, all  the statements made by Pashinyan and Mnatsakanyan, will have legal  justification.

After that, according to Manoyan, it will become possible to  initiate, in fact, the process of international recognition of  Artsakh, thereby initiating diplomatic pressure on Azerbaijan.  According to his forecasts, it will be difficult for Yerevan to  follow such a strategic line. And, of course, such innovations in the  Artsakh policy of Armenia will cause significant dissatisfaction with  the mediators of the OSCE Minsk Group.

"Nevertheless, we must go for it, taking into account all this  discontent and expected difficulties. This path should be taken as  far as the popularity of the current authorities of Armenia allows  that. I believe that our authorities have the opportunity to take  bold steps in the settlement, relying on own popularity and  legitimacy in Armenia, "Manoyan concluded.

Since 1992, the OSCE Minsk Group, represented by the co-chairs from  Russia, the USA and France, has been engaged in the settlement of the  Karabakh conflict. Currently, the settlement process is nominally  based on the Madrid Principles put forward by the OSCE Minsk Group in  2007 in Madrid and the Madrid Principles updated in 2009, which  contain a phased and package settlement plan and deployment of a  peacekeeping contingent in the conflict zone.