Armenian experts concerned over closure of OSCE office in Azerbaijan

The closure of the OSCE office in Baku is the Azerbaijan's internal affair. However, the fact gives rise to concern in Armenia. This opinion has been expressed by Armenian experts interviewed by the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that on June 4, the authorities of Azerbaijan sent a note to the OSCE about the closure of its Baku office. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan (MFA) gave the OSCE a month without any explanation to complete the activities of its office in Baku.

The closure of the OSCE office in Baku will contribute to the transition to the more isolated society in Azerbaijan. This opinion has been expressed by Edmon Marukyan, a deputy of the National Assembly of Armenia. According to the MP, in the case of the closure of the OSCE office, "it will be easier for Azerbaijan to force its own society to accept the war in Nagorno-Karabakh."

In his turn, political analyst Ara Papyan, the head of the "Modus Vivendi" Centre, has claimed that the closure of the OSCE office in Baku is not only an internal affair of Azerbaijan and that it can have consequences for Armenia. According to Ara Papyan, Azerbaijan is taking steps for the resumption of hostilities in Nagorno-Karabakh.

"If the country's authorities take drastic measures and close the international mission, thereby violating their international obligations, then there are no guarantees that in case of achievement of an agreement in the resolution of the Karabakh conflict, Azerbaijan will follow the accepted agreements," the political analyst said in his comment to the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent.

Full text of the article is available on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’.