ArmInfo.Armenian Foreign Minister Ara Ayvazyan did not rule out a visit of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-chairs to the region in the foreseeable future. Ara Ayvazyan, answering the relevant question at an extraordinary meeting of the Foreign Relations Commission of the Parliament of the country, noted that contacts with the co-chairs are permanent. "And I believe that in the foreseeable future, the mediator will visit the region," he said.
The Minister also believes that the war in Karabakh is the result of the failure of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs, since they are called upon not only to create favorable conditions for peace negotiations, but also to exclude a military solution to the conflict. "September 27 demonstrated that they failed their mission. Yes, today there are some technical issues related to their activities. Naturally, Armenia is interested in resuming negotiations within the framework of the OSCE Minsk Group. But we need a strong mediation that will not only fix the current situation, but will also lead the process, " the diplomat said. Ayvazyan also said that he will leave for Moscow on April 1, where he will take part in the meeting of the foreign ministers of the CIS member states. "There are no plans for bilateral or trilateral contacts with my Azerbaijani counterpart, but I believe there will be contacts on the CIS platform," Ayvazyan said.
The Armenian Foreign Minister also disagreed with the statement of Arman Babajanyan, an independent member of the Armenian parliament, that the war in Karabakh is the result of the loss of Armenian diplomacy. "The war in Karabakh was not the result of the defeat of the Armenian diplomacy. We might as well say that Czechoslovakia was once subjected to aggression by Nazi Germany because of its ineffective diplomacy.
During these years, Armenia has made every effort to resolve the conflict peacefully. The OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs did the same. Azerbaijan has committed itself not to use force or threaten to use force. But, as the Azerbaijani president recently admitted, he rejected all compromise options. And you know that at some point we were close to a peaceful solution. Nevertheless, the Azerbaijani leader proudly stated that he had been preparing for a military solution for a long time, " the minister said.
Ayvazyan added that for 26 years, Armenian diplomacy, on behalf of the country's political leadership, has ensured the preservation of the status quo until the problem is finally resolved.
"But if the opposite side has decided to start a war, then the possibilities of diplomats are limited here," the foreign minister said, adding that this war has demonstrated the weaknesses of the Armenian Foreign Ministry, including the Armenian Foreign Ministry, but this cannot serve as a reason to shift all responsibility to it. The Minister expressed confidence that the time will come and a comprehensive analysis will be carried out, why what happened.
"The war in Karabakh and the subsequent events were the defeat and retreat of democracy. The war has shown that in a situation where the world is busy with the pandemic and other key issues, this is the best moment for authoritarian regimes in their aggressive aspirations, " the Armenian chief diplomat said, pointing to the need to strengthen democracy throughout the international space.