Matthew Bryza comments possibility of Germany and Turkey’s participation as OSCE Minsk group Co-Chair

Baku. 11 February. REPORT.AZ/ "I do not think this specific suggestion for changing the format of the Minsk Group would have a meaningful impact on the Nagorno Karabakh mediation process for several reasons".  

Report was told by the former OSCE Minsk Group co-chair, expert of Estonian International Centre for Defense Studies Matthew Bryza. 

"First, neither Turkey nor Germany would replace Russia in the Minsk Group, and for now, Russia appears more intent on creating regional conflicts than resolving them", says Mr. Bryza. 

He also added that, "Precisely because Turkey is a great friend of Azerbaijan, Armenia will obviously reject Turkey’s participation as a Co-Chair and therefore, many OSCE member states will also oppose Turkey assuming this role".

M.Bryza thinks, "There is no reason why Germany replacing France as a Co-Chair would improve the Minsk Group’s dynamics. What might be useful, however, would be for the EU to become a Co-Chair rather than having any single country represent the EU". 

"Ultimately it is up to the Presidents of Armenia and Azerbaijan to make difficult decisions to implement the framework agreement (e.g., the Madrid Document) that is on the table and agreed in principle by the parties back in January 2009", he says. 

"Since that time, the U.S. made a major mistake by pressing for Turkey and Armenia to normalize their relations without a breakthrough in the Minsk Group process, which encouraged Armenia to reject some of the most important compromises it had already made. To restore the climate of trust that President Aliyev needs to take bold decisions, President Obama, along with President Hollande, should express their personal commitments to help reenergize the Minsk Group, especially at this moment of Russian military advenurism", Mr.Bryza added.