Azeri, Armenian FMs to continue talks in Brussels

Azerbaijani and Armenian foreign ministers Elmar Mammadyarov and Vardan Oskanian are expected to continue their Prague talks in Brussels on December 9. This was agreed upon by the two ministers in Sofia on Monday.

The meeting, held as part of the 12th annual session of the OSCE Foreign Ministers Council, focused on prospects for peace

settlement of the Upper Garabagh conflict and ways of increasing efficiency in this area.

Afterwards, Armenia’s unlawful policy of settlement in the occupied lands of Azerbaijan was discussed on Minister Mammadyarov’s initiative. The parties also considered sending an expert group to the region to conduct monitoring.

Shortly before the meeting, Armenian Minister Oskanian told Kentron TV company that if the United Nations adopts the resolution on the Upper Garabagh problem submitted by Azerbaijan, Armenia will back out of the bilateral talks.
In this case, Armenia will demand that Upper Garabagh take part in the negotiations as a party, since after the document is passed, the issue will be outside the OSCE Minsk Group mandate and will be partially in the authority of another international entity (UN), which Armenia cannot negotiate with separately.

Oskanian continued that Armenia will introduce major changes to its policy on the Garabagh conflict. In particular, the problem will be allegedly publicly announced as a conflict between Azerbaijan and Upper Garabagh, while Armenia will play the role of guarantor, the Armenian minister said. “We will put forth the issue of Garabagh’s self-determination”, he said.
Oskanian said that adoption of the mentioned resolution by the UN poses a threat as the latter may start considering the problem as a conflict between Armenia and
Azerbaijan. Besides, the document is likely to be passed, as the OSCE MG co-chairs will abstain from voting and most of the countries will follow suit, the Armenian minister said. He added that in this case, the procedure of passing a decision in the UN will allow Azerbaijan to get the resolution approved with the support of 5-10 countries.