Washington says OSCE Minsk Group mechanism no longer functioning

YEREVAN, November 17. /ARKA/. The U.S. administration says that the mechanism of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) Minsk Group is no longer functioning and that Washington is engaged in a peaceful settlement between Armenia and Azerbaijan only through interacting directly with Yerevan and Baku.

“It seems to me that it has evolved to the point where we can, through consensus, end this mandate,” Phillip Reeker, senior adviser to the U.S. Secretary of State for negotiations in the Caucasus said at a hearing in the Foreign Affairs Committee of the US Senate on Wednesday, Tass reported

'However, the mandate itself is quite useful. Although the process [of interaction] of the co-chairs of the Minsk Group is no longer functioning. And we [US administration officials] are directly involved with the parties in their peace process,' Reeker was quoted as saying.

The OSCE Minsk Group is co-chaired by Russia, the United States and France. However, Washington and Paris curtailed all contacts with Moscow after Russia launched the 'special military operation' in Ukraine.

Reeker stressed that while the Minsk Group, as it was known, was not functioning, its mandate remained.

“The purpose of the mandate is, of course, retained. And the OSCE operates on the basis of consensus. I remain in very close contact with my French colleague, with the EU, which is now so [deeply] involved in the region, with other stakeholders, with the OSCE itself,” Reeker said.

He added that that access to Nagorno-Karabakh for the United States remains “extremely limited.” He added that Azerbaijan simply stated that it will no longer deal with the Minsk Group.

Senator Benjamin Cardin (Democrat of Maryland), who attended the hearing, called on the U.S. to press for the elimination of the Minsk Group. He also argued that the those parties who "do not want to move forward with peace' take advantage of the group.-0-