Expert Ariel Cohen: U.S. should boost its profile as OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairman

The Heritage Foundation leading expert on Russia, Eurasia, and international energy policy, a member of the Trend's Expert Council, Ariel Cohen, believes the U.S. should boost its profile as a Co-Chairman of the OSCE Minsk Group.

"In the last year and a half, the U.S. was quite passive in the region, and allowed Moscow to take the lead on security issues in the area, including Karabakh," Cohen wrote Trend in an e-mail.

The Azerbaijani and Armenian foreign ministers will meet next week in the United States, OSCE Minsk Group U.S. Co-Chair Robert Bradtke said in an interview with the BBC this week.

Bradtke added that the co-chairs have "new ideas."

Cohen said most recently Russia signed a protocol on the Gyumri base in Armenia and this is evidence of the strengthening of Moscow's influence in the region.

"This increases the Russian involvement in protecting Armenia and shifting the balance existing in the region," he said.

The agreement was signed between Russia and Armenia, and renews Moscow's lease on the base for 24 years. The agreement was undersigned by the Armenian and Russian defense ministers.

Russia's 102nd Military Base has been accommodated in northern Armenia since 1995. The base operates in the framework of the CIS United Air Defense System. It is managed by the Russian troops in Transcaucasia - Russia's North-Caucasian Military District.

However, it should be understood that in fact the United States, as mediator, can not offer too much for the negotiation process, Cohen said. He added, that it would be desirable if Washington and Moscow could convince Yerevan to return the seven occupied regions to Baku's jurisdiction.

"But if Moscow plays along and exerts pressure on Armenia, I would be very surprised," he said. "Finally, it will also help to finally nominate and approve a U.S. Ambassador to Baku."

"So, most probably, there will be more meeting and talks, but not as much substantive progress." Cohen said.


/Trend/