Artsakh State Minister: OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs should take  tougher measures on the issue of visiting Nagorno-Karabakh 

ArmInfo.The co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group should take tougher measures both on the issue of visiting Nagorno-Karabakh and on the final settlement of the  conflict, since they are endowed with an appropriate international  mandate. Artsakh State Minister Artak Beglaryan expressed a similar  opinion at a press conference in Stepanakert on January 18, referring  to the disrespectful attitude of the Azerbaijani President towards  the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs, including during the last interview.

"Such behavior of the President of Azerbaijan, I believe, is  primarily due to the behavior of the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs  themselves, who are silent. This is not the first time that Aliyev  not only makes statements about blocking their activities, but also  ridicules the activities of intermediaries, and even humiliates  them", Beglaryan said, recalling that this happened for the first  time after the 2020 war.

At the same time, the State Minister believes that since the  mediators endure such humiliation and keep silent, Azerbaijan is  gradually becoming more impudent.

"The co-chairs should already speak from the position of an  arbitrator, and not as conciliators, or mediators solving exclusively  technical issues. Even if Azerbaijan says that the conflict has been  resolved, everyone understands that it has not been resolved,  moreover, it is in a more difficult situation", the official added,  recalling that all co-chair countries accept and themselves declare  that the Karabakh conflict has not been resolved.

Therefore, he continued, if Azerbaijan does not want to deal with any  international mediator in resolving this conflict, the international  community must take unilateral decisions and actions.

According to the official, after Aliyev's mockery of the co-chairs,  these countries should, without taking into account the opinion of  Azerbaijan, not only visit Artsakh, but also recognize, if not  independence, then at least the fact of the realization of the right  of the people of Artsakh to self-determination, especially after the  war, because that as a result of the war, all the main issues under  discussion are either resolved or violated, except for the right to  self-determination. "And the more they adhere to a cowardly policy,  the more Azerbaijan will become insolent," the State Minister of  Artsakh stressed.  To clarify whether the Artsakh authorities  maintain contacts with any international bodies, Beglaryan noted that  Artsakh has certain direct contacts with some representatives of  international organizations, but often these are not official  contacts.

"We can convey our opinion in this way, however, the main contacts  take place through the RA. In particular, the diplomatic corps", the  State Minister noted, confirming that after the war, the  international isolation of Artsakh increased.

"Azerbaijan is making every effort to this end. Until now, the OSCE  Minsk Group co-chairs have not visited Nagorno-Karabakh, this is  "thanks" to Azerbaijan. The same situation with UNESCO, UNHCR HC, CoE  Commissioner for Human Rights. That is, this applies to all those who  declared their readiness to visit Artsakh, even indicated the dates,  but never arrived. The reason is blocking by Azerbaijan. It is  regrettable that international organizations are subject to the  illegal inhuman steps of Azerbaijan, especially since their functions  include the protection of human rights and the solution of  humanitarian issues. Human rights must prevail. International  organizations should be bolder. My experience as an ombudsman speaks  of a lack of courage on their part," he concluded.