France seeks for a proactive role in arranging the upcoming Armenian-Azerbaijani presidential talks over Nagorno-Karabakh, according to a Paris-based Armenian analyst.
Speaking to Tert.am, Kayts Minasyan, an expert from the French Center for Strategic Research, said he knows that the French authorities are scheduling the meeting for autumn.
Asked to comment on the sides’ silence on the Paris talks, which were actively discussed after the St Petersburg meeting, the expert said, “I don’t know whether or not it has been cancelled, but I am aware that the French authorities are really eager to arrange a meeting. It may be in September or by the end of this year the latest, as the [Nagorno-]Karabakh issue is going to be a central topic of the presidential campaign.”
The expert addressed also the Nagorno-Karabakh recognition process which he said will hopefully gain momentum in the course of time. “I think the West will be involved in those processes. Russia will not wish that. It uses the Nagorno-Karabakh issue to keep Armenia and Azerbaijan under control,” he noted.
Commenting on the current round of the peace talks and possible developments, Minasyan stressed the importance of outlining and highlighting the so-called Lavrov plan. “Most Russian analysts say the Armenians are ready to return territories to Azerbaijan. They speak of troops’ withdrawal and the Nagorno-Karabakh [independence] referendum. What we need is to clarify whether those are just rumors or have any real grounds at all,” he added.
As for President Serzh Sargsyan’s recent speech, particularly his statement over mutual concessions, Minasyan said emphasized the need of demonstrating a proper understanding of his message. “We need to understand the concessions question, i.e. – what we should give to expect the Azeris to give something to us in return. Serzh Sargsyan said Karabakh can never form part of Azerbaijan. If that’s really the case, what about those regions’ future then?”
Minasyan said he doesn’t understand the logic behind the president’s remark. “Either Serzh Sargsyan expects tough policies by Azerbaijan to rule out concessions on his part or he expects Azerbaijan to really offer concessions, by recognizing, for instance, Nagorno-Karabakh’s right to self-determination,” he added.
Minasyan said he now sees a two-faced challenge to be resolved by the Armenian president. “It has to do with confidence. Externally, it is first important to build confidence in Azerbaijan, which is really very difficult if not almost impossible. It is beyond any expectation, as we really need quite a lot of time for that. In case of mutual concessions, the president should really enjoy trust in his own country. That implies trust among partners and in [the neighboring country’s] government, and last but not least, in the Armenian government and chiefly, among the people in Armenia,” he added.
