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IVASHOV: CONFLICTS SHOULD NOT BE SOLVED WITH THE USE OF FORCE
RIA Novosti, Russia
Sept 8 2004
MOSCOW, September 8 (RIA Novosti) - The settlement of conflicts on
the post-Soviet area demands restoration of trust rather than the
use of force, vice-president of the Academy of Geopolitical Problems
Colonel-General Leonid Ivashov said at a press conference held in
RIA Novosti.
"The historic memory is most acute when there was a bloodshed. Time is
the only cure for hatred, and only time can restore trust and settle
a conflict," he believes.
"The attempts to resume conflicts, solve the most difficult problems
with the use of force have no prospect," Ivashov stressed. In
this connection, he recalled the important role of peacekeepers,
who prevent the resumption of clashes in the zones of conflicts -
in Transdniestria, Abkhazia and South Ossetia.
Touching upon the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh issue, he called
upon the sides "not to cherish a hope that the conflict will be settled
rapidly." "Both the Azeri and Armenian sides should demonstrate wisdom
and begin the process of "small steps", restore confidence of an
ordinary people to an ordinary people," the general pointed out. "If
there are no mobilization calls to war, people will move towards
each other," he believes. In Tajikistan, Ivashov recalled, at the
beginning of the 1990s peace was established due to peacekeepers and
political efforts. The main cause for success was that "the states,
which had different, sometimes opposite interests in the region,
wanted peace," Ivashov pointed out. Russia, Iran, Afghanistan,
Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan participated in the settlement. "Russia
played the decisive role," the general stressed.
He also declared that he might refuse to take part as witness for
the defense in the trial of the former Yugoslavian president Slobodan
Milosevic.
Ivashov, who took part in the settlement of the Kosovo crisis as
a representative of the Russian defense ministry, explained this
by the fact that the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former
Yugoslaviagave Milosevic a lawyer against his will, who receives the
right to determine the witness who will speak.
"In this case I will not defend Milosevic and may become an object of
manipulation. But I would like to defend him, and show the objective
principles."
"In the Tribunal the aggressors try the victims of aggression. Those
who stirred up the Kosovo conflict, act today as prosecutors,"
Ivashov said.
"I do not see any crimes in Milosevic's activity. If the Yugoslavian
army shot down NATO planes, this was its duty in time of attack,"
the general stressed.
RIA Novosti, Russia
Sept 8 2004
MOSCOW, September 8 (RIA Novosti) - The settlement of conflicts on
the post-Soviet area demands restoration of trust rather than the
use of force, vice-president of the Academy of Geopolitical Problems
Colonel-General Leonid Ivashov said at a press conference held in
RIA Novosti.
"The historic memory is most acute when there was a bloodshed. Time is
the only cure for hatred, and only time can restore trust and settle
a conflict," he believes.
"The attempts to resume conflicts, solve the most difficult problems
with the use of force have no prospect," Ivashov stressed. In
this connection, he recalled the important role of peacekeepers,
who prevent the resumption of clashes in the zones of conflicts -
in Transdniestria, Abkhazia and South Ossetia.
Touching upon the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh issue, he called
upon the sides "not to cherish a hope that the conflict will be settled
rapidly." "Both the Azeri and Armenian sides should demonstrate wisdom
and begin the process of "small steps", restore confidence of an
ordinary people to an ordinary people," the general pointed out. "If
there are no mobilization calls to war, people will move towards
each other," he believes. In Tajikistan, Ivashov recalled, at the
beginning of the 1990s peace was established due to peacekeepers and
political efforts. The main cause for success was that "the states,
which had different, sometimes opposite interests in the region,
wanted peace," Ivashov pointed out. Russia, Iran, Afghanistan,
Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan participated in the settlement. "Russia
played the decisive role," the general stressed.
He also declared that he might refuse to take part as witness for
the defense in the trial of the former Yugoslavian president Slobodan
Milosevic.
Ivashov, who took part in the settlement of the Kosovo crisis as
a representative of the Russian defense ministry, explained this
by the fact that the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former
Yugoslaviagave Milosevic a lawyer against his will, who receives the
right to determine the witness who will speak.
"In this case I will not defend Milosevic and may become an object of
manipulation. But I would like to defend him, and show the objective
principles."
"In the Tribunal the aggressors try the victims of aggression. Those
who stirred up the Kosovo conflict, act today as prosecutors,"
Ivashov said.
"I do not see any crimes in Milosevic's activity. If the Yugoslavian
army shot down NATO planes, this was its duty in time of attack,"
the general stressed.