On December 9 the French co-chairman of the Minsk group Hanry Jacolin in an interview with the “Express” newspaper, Azerbaijan, doubted the fact that Karabakh was an independent party of the conflict. “No need for Karabakh to participate in the peace talks as a party,” the French diplomat noted. “I do not think it necessary as the Karabakh Armenians participate in the talks through Armenia. I believe that the positions of Armenia and Karabakh are the same as far as the talks are concerned. Besides, Robert Kocharian himself is from Karabakh,” he said.
These words totally contradict to the position of the Russian Ministry of Foreign affairs expressed by the diplomats representing Moscow in the talks. A day before the abovementioned statement of the French co-chairman, Russian representative Yuri Merzlyakov said that for Kremlin Karabakh is a party of the conflict. “Nagorno Karabakh is a party of the conflict, and this can not be negated,” he said. The former special representative of Russia on Karabakh issue, Vladimir Kazimirov, even having stopped his diplomatic activity, continues to insist on the importance of involving Karabakh in the negotiation process.
The statements of Mr. Jacolin contradict also to the international norms, as Nagorno Karabakh has been considered an independent party of the conflict in series of official documents. It is known that the armistice concluded in spring 1994 was signed by the Defense Ministers of all the three countries – Armenia, Azerbaijan and Nagorno Karabakh. Besides, the Chairman of the Parliament of Azerbaijan has negotiated with NKR and there is his signature under the Bishkek protocol with which Azerbaijan has recognized that Karabakh is an independent party of the conflict. And, finally, the mandate of the co-chairmen themselves, defined at the OSCE Budapest summit, supposed negotiations between the three parties – Yerevan, Baku and Stepanakert. It is strange that Mr. Jacolin has forgotten this. Evidently, he should be reminded about the responsibilities given to him by the OSCE as his actions are exceeding those limits.
