Analyst: There are tendencies of reducing US influence in the OSCE  Minsk Group on the Karabakh conflict settlement

ArmInfo.Last April's "four-day war" in the zone of the Karabakh conflict radically changed the security atmosphere in the region, just as on September 11  radically changed Washington's attitude to world security. Such an  opinion on September 11 in Yerevan at the round table "Security and  Diplomacy in the Nagorno-Karabakh Conflict. The new stage?" Expressed  the head of the Center for Regional Studies Richard Kirakosyan.

According to him, new realities have emerged in the new regional  landscape and a high level of spontaneous resumption of hostilities  remains, there are no proper mechanisms to deter the parties from a  forceful solution of the issue and the political will of the parties  to continue the diplomatic process.

Referring to the OSCE activities, the analyst expressed regret by the  fact that Baku managed to close the Organization's Yerevan office,  thus undermining the security bulwark in the region. According to  him, the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs can not act as an arbitrator and  make targeted statements, since they must maintain a balance, and can  only assist the parties in finding ways to resolve the conflict,  through proposals and initiatives, but with the political will of the  parties.

Referring to the role of the US in the settlement of the Karabakh  conflict as a co-chairman of the OSCE Minsk Group, Kirakosian stated  that the position of Washington and the Trump administration on this  issue remains uncertain, which undoubtedly affects the process of  conflict settlement. "There is a tendency to reduce US influence in  the OSCE Minsk Group on the settlement of the Karabakh conflict and  the growing role of Russia," the expert believes.

At the same time, he is convinced that the OSCE Minsk Group needs to  confirm the need to resolve the conflict through mutual concessions  and compromises. According to him, increasingly these issues are  becoming secondary, and more often the parties talk about missed  opportunities, priority is given to such tendencies in positions that  there is no need for mutual concessions. "It is necessary to move  away from militaristic rhetoric and return to the negotiating table.  A new dynamic has been registered, where there is a high probability  of resumption of hostilities and the failure of diplomatic efforts,"   said Kirakosyan. In this context, he added that the Armenian  government should adhere to the adopted course on the conflict  settlement by returning surrounding territories in exchange for the  status of Nagorno-Karabakh.