Vladimir Kazimirov: The Karabakh Conflict Should be Solved Exceptionally in a Peaceful Way

YEREVAN (Alisa Gevorgyan, Public Radio of Armenia) — Baku is doing its best to make us forget how the ceasefire agreement was reached. Ilham Aliyev is glorifying his father, at the same time forgetting to implement the documents adopted with the latter’s consent, one of which clearly states that “The Karabakh conflict should be solved exceptionally in a peaceful way,” former Russian Co-Chair of the OSCE Minsk Group Vladimir Kazimirov told a press conference today.

In an article published by Moscow-based “Regnum” agency on the 20th anniversary of the ceasefire Kazimirov presented an interesting statistics, which he introduced to reporters today. “During the war the Azerbaijani side frustrated 20 peace initiatives, while the Armenian parties denied only four,” he said.

According to Kazimirov, Azerbaijan’s axe-policy only harms the process. However, the former co-chair congratulated Armenia, Artsakh and Azerbaijan on the 20th anniversary of the ceasefire, since it has at least managed to prevent mass bloodshed.

Kazimirov said everything should be done to resolve the conflict in a peaceful way. “We must work towards reinforcement of peace,” he said. The ex-mediator is confident that “we are closer to peace than war,” despite Azerbaijan’s bellicose rhetoric and the tension at the line of contact.

To what extent will Armenia’s membership in the Eurasian Economic Union affect the Artsakh conflict? According to Kazimirov, these are two different processes.

As for the deployment of peacekeepers at the Artsakh conflict zone, Kazimirov said the issue is not on the agenda today.