US mentions about end of OSCE Minsk Group

Armenian media has recently reported that the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chair from the US Andrew Schofer allegedly visited Yerevan and met with Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan. 

Earlier Azerbaijan, followed by the Russian Foreign Ministry, represented by Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and Spokesperson for the Russian Foreign Ministry Maria Zakharova, mentioned about the end of the incompetent OSCE Minsk Group’s activity. So, who came to Yerevan and even met with Mirzoyan? 

Azatutyun Radio contacted the US Embassy in Armenia for comments. 

The embassy replied that Andrew Schofer is a senior adviser for Caucasus negotiations at the US Department of State. 

"Schofer is acting as the US co-chair of the OSCE Minsk Group and leading the US delegation at international discussions on the Georgian-Russian conflict," the embassy said. 

Azatutyun Radio asked about the reason of changing position of the US co-chair in the OSCE Minsk Group, Andrew Schofer. In a statement distributed by the embassy, Schofer was introduced as a senior adviser to the Secretary of State for Caucasus negotiations. Does this mean that the US refuses to participate in the Minsk Group, or a new official will be appointed as a co-chair from the US? 

However, the embassy avoided answering this question by stating that "the US remains committed to promoting peaceful, democratic and prosperous future for the South Caucasus region". 

While answering Azatutyun Radio’s question whether the US considers the further activity of the Minsk Group possible in the current tense situation with Russia, the US embassy in Yerevan replied that it welcomes the recent efforts of Armenia and Azerbaijan on direct interaction at the level of leaders and foreign ministers of two countries. 

The embassy also stressed that the commitment and flexibility of both sides, as well as direct bilateral cooperation, are the key to achieving lasting peace in the region. 

Thus, the US, following Azerbaijan and Russia, actually ‘buried’ the OSCE Minsk Group, stressing that Baku and Yerevan do not need co-chairs in the process of normalizing the situation. 

In this context, it is necessary to remind Assistant to the President of Azerbaijan, Head of the Department of Foreign Policy Affairs of the Azerbaijani Presidential Administration Hikmat Hajiyev’s statement made for press on April 22 that the Minsk Group is in the process of self-liquidation. The Minsk Group itself has also made statements about the impossibility of joint activity of the three countries for one reason or another, especially amid events in Ukraine. 

Hajiyev said that this was clearly stated by the official representative of one of these countries. 

"Proceeding from the statements of the Minsk Group co-chair countries, the representatives who were sent to the region have other statuses rather than the status of co-chairs,” Hajiyev added. “The Minsk Group’s activity in this format is impossible.”