Will France be replaced with EU in the OSCE MG?

For already some days the European Parliament’s Committee on Foreign Affairs discusses the possibility of accepting a document which will replace France by the European Union (EU) in the OSCE Minsk Group.

As Armenian and Azerbaijani media write the document offers to replace the mandate ofFrancein the OSCE Minsk Group on the settlement of Nagorno Karabakh conflict by the European Union and its adoption is likely to be discussed on a month in the plenary meeting of the European Parliament.

Two days ago US co-chair of the OSCE MG Robert Bradke gave a large interview to the Radio Liberty and announced that OSCE MG current format has managed to success and achieve results in some important issue concerning the Nagorno Karabakh issue settlement process. As he noted at the same time the main issue is still unsettled. “I don’t think that the problem of our inability to reach a peace agreement has been the format of the Minsk Group or the format of the co-chairs. The problem is that these are very difficult questions. The differences between the sides are very great, and frankly, there’s a lack of trust. Changing the format is not going to address any of those things. Those things will continue”, he underlined.

Many European officials have always claimed that the EU just wants to assist the OSCE MG efforts and have never spoke about changing of the negotiations’ format. Further discussions will show the possibility of replacement France with EU.