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Azerbaijani Deputy Foreign Minister: â€œThe co-chairing states have enough power to influence Armeniaâ€

24 November 2011 10:05 (UTC +04:00)

Baku. Ramil Mammadli - APA. â€œThe OSCE foreign ministers will meet in Vilnius early December. Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov will also join the meeting. He is not planning to meet with his Armenian counterpart, but organization of the ministerial meeting is technically easy and they can meet within the conference in working order. The main issue is completely different: why the meeting should be held? Is it for hearing of Armenian foreign ministerâ€™s position once again? Unlikely Azerbaijan will accept it willinglyâ€, Azerbaijani Deputy Foreign Minister Araz Azimov told journalists, APA reports.

Reminding about the co-chairsâ€™ upcoming visit to the region later in November, he said he didnâ€™t expect anything new from this visit: â€œArmenia abuses the situation, as it was previously, and chooses another way instead of positively answering the constructive proposals of Azerbaijan. They show that they are not interesting to achieve progress in the process. Everything is clear, Armenia occupied our territories and it tries to conceal its territorial claims with different political speculations. Azerbaijan shows willingness to continue the negotiations. But if the discussions remain without results, this activity will not matter. The co-chairsâ€™ upcoming visit to the region next week doesnâ€™t promise anything. There is a standstill in the process after the Kazan meetingâ€.

Araz Azimov said 20 years will pass since the establishment of OSCE Minsk Group next year.
â€œOf course, this anniversary will not be celebrated solemnly, because there are no results in its activity. Within these 20 years the co-chairs paid visits, were replaced. The issue may depend on personalities to some extent. But first of all the three countries, which have undertaken co-chairmanship of the Minsk Group, must be willing to make a turning point. When these three countries were elected, most hoped that they will cope with the mission, as they are leading states, play important role in the international issues. Moreover, Armenia depends on these three countries, is dependent on them in a number of aspects. The co-chairing states have enough power to influence Armenia. Despite all this, if there is no progress, we must seek its causes,â€ he said.