OSCE Minsk Group mediators ‘attempting to impose solutions' on weak side in Karabakh peace talks – expert

The co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group are in a process of spotting the weak party in the Nagorno-Karabakh (Artsakh) peace talks in an effort to impose certain packages of conflict settlement, according to Arthur Martirosyan, a specialist in negotiation affairs (CM Partners, Cambridge).

In an interview with Tert.am, the expert admitted that the proposed change in the format was not initially expected to be quite easy, with the international mediators not clearly wishing Artsakh’s return to the negotiating table.  

“They have already developed a certain process, approach in which they feel really comfortable. So changing anything or bringing a new player to the negotiating table, especially in circumstances that see one of the parties being opposed to that, is not absolutely to their liking. This is why the reject [the proposal for Artsakh’s inclusion in the peace talks],” he added.

Martirosyan also admitted that the Karabakh authorities directly negotiated with Azerbaijan back in the early 1990s without Armenia’s engagement. “So why isn’t all that taking place now? Because of the difference in the force ratio; the power balance has changed, which is actually bad, as that will potentially enable the mediators to try and see the weak party to impose a certain package on it proposing certain options,” he noted.

The important thing for Armenia under the circumstances is to demonstrate its real capacities to make clear that it isn’t quite weak, the expert added. In his words, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s move to conduct a joint National Security Council sitting in Stepanakery was an attempt to reaffirm his resolute stance on the process to insist on Artsakh direct engagement in the peace talks.  

“I am not quite certain about that as we are not properly informed of the purposes, but we can perceive that his message – both to the opposing side [i.e. - Azerbaijan] and the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs –is that he doesn’t by definition enjoy enough authority to represent Karabakh,” he added.