Jacques Faure: The return of Karabakh to Azerbaijan is impossible

Yerevan/19.06.15/Turan-ArmInfo: Possibly,  after the completion of the European Games in Baku tensions in the zone of Karabakh conflict will increase, said  on 19  June  at the NATO seminar Rose-Roth in Yerevan Jacques Faure , former  co-chair of the French OSCE Minsk Group.

He believes that the resumption of hostilities in Nagorno-Karabakh will not happen, because none of the sides to the conflict needs it. "Despite the fact that Azerbaijan's military budget exceeds the entire budget of Armenia, the country also will not benefit from war, because it will lose its role in the international arena,  and from the economic point of view  will suffer serious losses, because it is difficult to attract investment in the country at war,"  the diplomat noted.

Faure also noted that  the return of Karabakh to  Azerbaijan  is already impossible, since the population of the country is Armenian, and , and it does not want to change its  status. "Naturally, the award-result should be expressed through free will. I personally hope that it will be possible,"  said Faure.

 He added that the presidents of Armenia and Azerbaijan are "hostages" of their societies and are unwilling to steps that entail criticism. "They prefer a step by step solution to the conflict," the diplomat said.

He also touched on Azerbaijan's efforts to change the format of the OSCE Minsk Group, noting that it would lead to inhibition of the negotiation process. According to him, the  trust between the sides is so low, which is due to partial ceasefire violations and human losses. According to him,  there are very  little mechanisms to influence Baku. " There are not financial   mechanisms  to influence Azerbaijan, and no mechanisms to deprive this country's membership in international organizations. It is therefore necessary to insist on the method of persuasion,"  he concluded. -02D-