Political scientist: The main task is to return Aliyev to the  negotiating table on the status of Artsakh

ArmInfo. The main task of the OSCE Minsk Group mediators in New York is to create conditions in which Ilham Aliyev will have no choice but to return to the  negotiating table. Head of the Analytical Centre on Globalization and  Regional Cooperation Stepan Grigoryan expressed this opinion to  ArmInfo.

"Without Armenia, without Azerbaijan, the restoration of the  negotiation process within the MG is impossible. Therefore,  everything was done in New York to convince and force Baku to return  to the negotiating table. And we see that the Azerbaijani Foreign  Minister has already met with the mediators there. In my opinion, the  resumption of negotiations under the auspices of the OSCE is the main  goal of the United States, first of all," he said.

In a joint statement dated September 24, the OSCE Minsk Group  Co-Chairs reaffirmed their commitment to continue working with the  parties to the conflict to find comprehensive solutions to the  remaining Karabakh issues. The co-chairs assessed the first meeting  of the foreign ministers of Armenia and Azerbaijan after last year's  war as a sign of the two countries' determination to resume the peace  process through direct dialogue. However, the very next day, Ilham  Aliyev said that the Karabakh issue had been resolved. "We have not  received any proposals from the Minsk Group after last year's war.  And since there are no initiatives, it is inappropriate to talk about  the activities of the mediators," he said.

In any case, in Grigoryan's opinion, the main thing is not what  solution the co-chairs will offer to the parties to the conflict, and  not their reaction. The main thing is to forcibly return Aliyev to  the negotiating table with the agenda for determining the status of  Artsakh, which will already become a great victory for the  international community, primarily for France and the United States.  In this light, the political scientist is also concerned about the  position of Russia, which, in his opinion, considers the status issue  of secondary importance.

The political scientist considers the bill on Azerbaijan recently  adopted by the US House of Representatives in line with the previous  statements of the US Department of State and the US President.  Grigoryan believes that the purpose of these steps by the American  administration is to remind Baku and Ankara of the absence of a  statute of limitations for their crimes. That their crimes during  last year's aggression against Artsakh will sooner or later receive  adequate punishment.

On September 23, the US House of Representatives adopted a bill on  Azerbaijan and the conflict in Artsakh. In a document drawn up by  Tony Cardenas, Adam Schiff and Brad Sherman, Azerbaijan was required  to immediately release all Armenian prisoners and hostages. And the  US Secretary of Defense is responsible for submitting a report on  Azerbaijan's war crimes, including the use of prohibited weapons.   And also the use of American technologies in the combat Turkish UAVs  involved in Artsakh.