On 25 May, Azerbaijan’s Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov visited Vienna to participate at a special meeting of the OSCE Permanent Council. At his speech, Bayramov emphasised that Azerbaijan would continue to cooperate with the OSCE executive bodies towards the post-war rehabilitation and reintegration in Karabakh.
“In his speech, the minister also stressed the importance of post-conflict rehabilitation, reconstruction, and reintegration. It was stressed that the settlement of the conflict has created new prospects for peace, security, and cooperation in the region and that the OSCE can also contribute to these processes,” read the report from the Azerbaijani Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA).
Bayramov stressed the importance that Azerbaijan attaches to the OSCE including respect for and strict adherence to the principles enshrined in the main documents of the OSCE, starting with the Helsinki Final Act. He noted the importance of the trilateral statements signed by the Azerbaijani, Armenian and Russian leaders on 9 November 2020 and 11 January 2021. He said that at the present stage, with the elimination of the occupation, normalisation of the Azerbaijani-Armenian relations has become possible based on respect for both countries' sovereignty, territorial integrity, and inviolability of the internationally recognised borders. Bayramov also touched on the possibility of signing a peace agreement between Azerbaijan and Armenia.
In response to Bayramov's speech, permanent representatives of most of the OSCE states attending made statements. They stressed the importance of stabilising the regional situation after the signing of the 9 November trilateral statement, taking further steps to strengthen peace, implementing the issues arising from the trilateral statement, restoring the political dialogue at a high level, implementing confidence-building measures in the post-war period, taking humanitarian measures and cooperating in this sphere, opening the regional economic and transport links, and resolving recent tensions on the Azerbaijani-Armenian border through negotiations, the ministry said.
The US charge d' affaires to the OSCE Permanent Council Courtney Austrian urged Azerbaijan and Armenia to return to substantive high-level negotiations, without preconditions, under the auspices of the Minsk Group Co-Chairs “as soon as possible” and welcomed the ideas on how the OSCE can help to foster peace, stability, and prosperity throughout the Caucasus region. The US representative called on the sides to strengthen the ceasefire by expediting the return of all prisoners of war and detainees; exchanging all data necessary to conduct effective demining of conflict regions; and lifting restrictions on access to Nagorno-Karabakh for international humanitarian organisations. “We urge both sides to avoid fuelling hatred through escalatory or dehumanising rhetoric and to investigate alleged human rights violations or abuses, or violations of international humanitarian law, and to hold accountable those found responsible. These actions are integral to stability, justice, and accountability,” she added. The Washington representative also encouraged the sides to be transparent when undertaking any military activities.
On 26 January, the assistant to Azerbaijan’s President Hikmet Hajiyev stated that the OSCE had to adapt to the new reality in the South Caucasus to still have an active role. Touching upon the reputation of the OSCE Minsk Group in Azerbaijan, Hajiyev said that it was low, mainly due to the inability of the organisation to make a real contribution to resolving the conflict for more than 25 years. He said that the past narratives of the OSCE Minsk Group on the conflict no longer work because the situation in the region has completely changed. The aide further stressed that the OSCE inappropriately exaggerated the status of Nagorno-Karabakh issue, which created false and unnecessary expectations in Armenia. He noted that the Minsk Group can contribute to peacebuilding in the future through various projects (Caucasus Watch reported).
