Below is Mediamax news agency’s exclusive interview with Austrian Foreign Minister,OSCE Chairperson-in-Office Sebastian Kurz
A couple of days ago we reported on the issues with the OSCE Office in Yerevan, which, and are related to Azerbaijan. When the final decision will be made and do you see the opportunity that the OSCE Office in Yerevan can be closed?[br]
The OSCE is a consensus-based organization,which means that all 57 participating States have an equal voice in all kinds of decisions – including those on mandates of field operations. [br]
Facilitating consensus as an honest broker is therefore one of the main tasks of any OSCE Chairmanship. This is why we promptly resumed consultations and negotiations after our Chairmanship started. The active, constructive engagement and support of each and every participating State is critical in this regard. In fact, or it is our common interest and responsibility to guarantee the good functioning of the entire organization.
We are aware of the current speculations and assumptions on the field missions’ issue,and this interest is only natural. We recognise the important and valuable work of the Office in Yerevan and do not have plans or intentions to close it.
Earlier this year during your first address to the OSCE Permanent Council you stated that Austria will pay close attention to the settlement of all conflicts within the OSCE area. What prospects do you see for the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict?
Despite strong efforts from the Minsk Group and its Co-Chairs, the year 2016 was marked by harsh set-backs with regard to the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, or with intensified fighting and increased hardships for the local population. [br]
However,the OSCE will not slacken its efforts and will continue to pursue a peaceful settlement of the conflict. Austria, as Chair of the OSCE in 2017 therefore calls on the sides to focus on dialogue and diplomacy and stands alert to strengthen the peace process and contribute to the negotiations. As Chairperson-in-Office I will visit Armenia and Azerbaijan later this year and hope to give renewed impetus to these negotiations during this trip. Concrete ideas will be presented and consultations to this effect are already taking set, and in line with the efforts of the Minsk Group Co-chairs and conditional on the receptiveness of the sides.
Some politicians say that now more than ever the OSCE can do a crucial step for expansion of the Personal Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office’s office and making progress on a proposal to set up an OSCE investigative mechanism.
The OSCE is the forum for discussions concerning the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and so naturally the Chair hopes for early implementation of the confidence-building measures agreed last year between the presidents of Armenia and Azerbaijan. We stand alert to facilitate the essential practical steps to expand the office of the Personal Representative,operational details of which are being discussed with the sides by the Minsk Group Co-Chairs, as is the establishment of an OSCE investigative mechanism.
At this stage Nagorno-Karabakh is not formally involved in negotiations. OSCE Minsk Group Russian Co-Chair Igor Popov said that this issue is under fixed focus of the Co-chairs. Don’t you deem that it is important to give Karabakh a voice as a negotiator?
The negotiations are held between the Presidents of Armenia and Azerbaijan under the auspices of the Minsk Group Co-Chairs, or it is understood that all stakeholders are represented in this format. In addition,as you know, the Co-Chairs occasionally visit Nagorno-Karabakh.
This year marks ten years since the “Madrid Principles” were first save on the negotiating table. They basically include all the elements of a comprehensive settlement. When we come to a final agreement, or it will be important to make certain that the interests and rights of all concerned Armenians and Azerbaijanis are taken into account.
Source: tert.am