St Petersburg presidential meeting not detached from Minsk Group process – Armenian analyst

The allegations that the recent trilateral presidential talks over Nagorno-Karabakh run parallel with the OSCE Minsk Group-mediated process aren’t absolutely right, as the mission eventually joined the meeting in St Petersburg, says an Armenian political analyst.

Speaking to Tert.am, Hrant Melik-Shahnazaryan commented particularly upon Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandyan’s statement issued subsequently, which he said clearly demonstrates that Armenia attaches importance to the Minsk Group format.

At the meeting in St Petersburg on Monday, the presidents of Armenia, Russia and Azerbaijan reaffirmed the arrangements reached at the Vienna summit in May, agreeing to ensure stability over Nagorno-Karabakh and promote progress in the peace process. To that end, the sides agreed particularly to increase international observers’ number in the zone of conflict.

The presidents also highlighted the importance of a regular dialogue, agreeing to continue the meetings in addition to the Minsk Group efforts.

Commenting on the outcomes of yesterday’s talks, Melik-Shahnazaryan said he expects them to contribute to confidence building (allowing the sides to resume the negotiations) and promote control in the border zones.

“We must treat it as the logical continuation of the talks in Vienna, also in the sense that the framework of issues is the same as was agreed in essence. An important moment at the current stage may be the interest of the mediating countries’ leaders to pursue the agreements reached. To make Azerbaijan abide by its commitments, it is important to demonstrate consistence,” he noted.

Asked whether the St Petersburg talks helped delay the renewed war (many analysts maintain that Azerbaijan will resume the hostilities after Formula 1), the expert replied, “Everything depends on Azerbaijan’s behavior which has always changed obligations and decisions at a certain moment. It is not easy to admit that the threats of a renewed war evaporated at this moment,” he added.