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EU official threatens sanctions if Azerbaijan goes to war
Ekspress, Baku
5 Jan 05
A senior EU official has warned that sanctions may be imposed on
Azerbaijan and Armenia if the countries opt to resume hostilities. In
an exclusive interview with Azerbaijani newspaper Ekspress, an
official representative of the EU commission for security and conflict
settlement, Pierre Garton, said that the future integration of the two
Caucasus republics into Europe depends on the resolution of the
dispute over Azerbaijan's breakaway region of Nagornyy Karabakh. He
also complained about what he thinks to be the "monopoly" of the OSCE
Minsk Group, a team of international mediators put in charge of
settling the conflict, and termed its activities as sterile. The
following is the text of Alakbar Raufoglu's report by Azerbaijani
newspaper Ekspress on 5 January headlined "The EU will impose
sanctions if there is war" and subheaded "Pierre Garton: 'Integration
of Azerbaijan and Armenia into Europe depends on the Karabakh issue'";
subheadings are as published:
"If military operations resume in Nagornyy Karabakh, the European
Union may take tough steps against the two conflicting parties," an
official representative of the EU commission for security and conflict
settlement and former rapporteur of the European Parliament
[Commission] on the South Caucasus, Swedish diplomat Pierre Garton,
said in an exclusive interview with Ekspress yesterday [4 January].
He said that Europe called on the leaders of Azerbaijan and Armenia in
1992 to freeze military hostilities. "Since these calls went unheard
then, certain restrictions were introduced to the two countries'
cooperation with the EU. These sanctions will be imposed on
Azerbaijan and Armenia again should there be any clashes on the front
line."
What is Brussels concerned about?
The EU's attitude to the Karabakh conflict remains unchanged. "We are
interested in continued dialogue between the two countries. The
conflict should be resolved peacefully. It concerns both Azerbaijan
and Armenia."
Garton believes that the EU's cooperation with Armenia and Azerbaijan
is now based on three factors: economic cooperation, the development
of democracy and a peaceful solution to the Nagornyy Karabakh
conflict. "We are having a close and balanced cooperation with both
countries and do not distinguish between them. But the parties to the
conflict often try to disrupt this balance," the diplomat complained.
The EU's high-ranking officials have recently visited both Azerbaijan
and Armenia to become familiar with the domestic situation here and
the settlement process. "We understand that the delay in the peace
talks is accompanied by certain tension in both countries. But it is
wrong to exaggerate this concern as if it could lead to war, and this
seriously worries us. At the same time we regret the fact that
Azerbaijan and Armenia have failed to officially appeal to the
European Union for mediation."
The EU's main concern is that calls for war are being made in the
conflicting countries at a time when peace talks are under way. "It
undermines the dialogue. The situation should be duly evaluated and
these occurrences should be eliminated."
Armenian Defence Minister Serzh Sarkisyan did not rule out a military
option in the Karabakh settlement at a briefing in Moscow last
week. He said that "if the limits of negotiations are depleted, the
tension that will follow may provoke military operations."
Monopolist co-chairmen
Garton believes that the takeover of the "mediation monopoly" in the
Karabakh talks by the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairmen restricts active
involvement of other European entities in the issue. "This problem can
only be eliminated with joint efforts of the international
community. Someone's reigning the process will not bear fruit. The
conflicting countries do not seem to have understood this
necessity. They may be thinking that if there are other mediators, the
Minsk Group will dodge its mandate. But its activity is sterile
anyway. In a settlement everything depends on the parties. It is not
possible to lead the parties to peace with one [mediating] party."
Liberating five districts still on agenda
Touching upon the proposals the EU has made on the Karabakh settlement
to date, Garton said that "the fate of those ideas shows that acting
as a mediator, which is outside intervention in the process, is
difficult and ineffective". "The EU possesses more possibilities and
leverage to solve the Karabakh problem."
If so, why does the EU not back up its proposals such as five
districts [Armenian-occupied districts around Nagornyy Karabakh] in
exchange for railway communications or other solution models and put
pressure on Yerevan to ensure their implementation?
The refusal to accept the EU's solution options does not mean that it
will not provide new proposals for a Karabakh solution, Garton
said. Simply, Europe "thinks it is better not to increase the number
of solution models which are being disputed by the parties and
remaining on paper".
"Moreover, the liberation of five districts is still on the agenda,"
the rapporteur said.
Saying that Armenia's position in the negotiation process "is
explained with rather heavy arguments", Garton refused to call that
country "non-constructive". "It would imply putting [the blame for]
the failure of the talks on one party. It can be just considered that
Yerevan's position in the peaceful settlement requires more
concessions than Azerbaijan's."
Conflict can be resolved in 12 months
Garton also said that the EU's increasing activity in the Karabakh
settlement is the main priority of the union's future performance,
since Azerbaijan and Armenia have been included into Europe's New
Neighbourhood programme and integration of both countries into the EU
depends on Karabakh.
"Negotiations will start with Ankara in 2005 on Turkey's integration
into the EU, thus bringing the borders of Europe closer to
Azerbaijan. As for the EU, it does not want problems like Karabakh to
persist in territories close to Europe," he said.
"I hope that the conflict will not last for another 12 years. Armenia
and Azerbaijan have already demanded that the [Minsk Group]
co-chairmen should increase their efforts. It builds up confidence
that the Minsk Group will increase activity and the conflict will be
resolved in 12 months."
Baku is optimistic
Commenting on the EU representative's statements to Ekspress,
Azerbaijani Deputy Foreign Minister Araz Azimov said: "The EU is our
strategic partner and supports Baku's position in the settlement
process. We are optimistic about war. Naturally, Azerbaijan has never
promised to observe eternal peace. Even in Europe it is not ruled out
that military operations may resume if the peace talks fail."
Ekspress, Baku
5 Jan 05
A senior EU official has warned that sanctions may be imposed on
Azerbaijan and Armenia if the countries opt to resume hostilities. In
an exclusive interview with Azerbaijani newspaper Ekspress, an
official representative of the EU commission for security and conflict
settlement, Pierre Garton, said that the future integration of the two
Caucasus republics into Europe depends on the resolution of the
dispute over Azerbaijan's breakaway region of Nagornyy Karabakh. He
also complained about what he thinks to be the "monopoly" of the OSCE
Minsk Group, a team of international mediators put in charge of
settling the conflict, and termed its activities as sterile. The
following is the text of Alakbar Raufoglu's report by Azerbaijani
newspaper Ekspress on 5 January headlined "The EU will impose
sanctions if there is war" and subheaded "Pierre Garton: 'Integration
of Azerbaijan and Armenia into Europe depends on the Karabakh issue'";
subheadings are as published:
"If military operations resume in Nagornyy Karabakh, the European
Union may take tough steps against the two conflicting parties," an
official representative of the EU commission for security and conflict
settlement and former rapporteur of the European Parliament
[Commission] on the South Caucasus, Swedish diplomat Pierre Garton,
said in an exclusive interview with Ekspress yesterday [4 January].
He said that Europe called on the leaders of Azerbaijan and Armenia in
1992 to freeze military hostilities. "Since these calls went unheard
then, certain restrictions were introduced to the two countries'
cooperation with the EU. These sanctions will be imposed on
Azerbaijan and Armenia again should there be any clashes on the front
line."
What is Brussels concerned about?
The EU's attitude to the Karabakh conflict remains unchanged. "We are
interested in continued dialogue between the two countries. The
conflict should be resolved peacefully. It concerns both Azerbaijan
and Armenia."
Garton believes that the EU's cooperation with Armenia and Azerbaijan
is now based on three factors: economic cooperation, the development
of democracy and a peaceful solution to the Nagornyy Karabakh
conflict. "We are having a close and balanced cooperation with both
countries and do not distinguish between them. But the parties to the
conflict often try to disrupt this balance," the diplomat complained.
The EU's high-ranking officials have recently visited both Azerbaijan
and Armenia to become familiar with the domestic situation here and
the settlement process. "We understand that the delay in the peace
talks is accompanied by certain tension in both countries. But it is
wrong to exaggerate this concern as if it could lead to war, and this
seriously worries us. At the same time we regret the fact that
Azerbaijan and Armenia have failed to officially appeal to the
European Union for mediation."
The EU's main concern is that calls for war are being made in the
conflicting countries at a time when peace talks are under way. "It
undermines the dialogue. The situation should be duly evaluated and
these occurrences should be eliminated."
Armenian Defence Minister Serzh Sarkisyan did not rule out a military
option in the Karabakh settlement at a briefing in Moscow last
week. He said that "if the limits of negotiations are depleted, the
tension that will follow may provoke military operations."
Monopolist co-chairmen
Garton believes that the takeover of the "mediation monopoly" in the
Karabakh talks by the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairmen restricts active
involvement of other European entities in the issue. "This problem can
only be eliminated with joint efforts of the international
community. Someone's reigning the process will not bear fruit. The
conflicting countries do not seem to have understood this
necessity. They may be thinking that if there are other mediators, the
Minsk Group will dodge its mandate. But its activity is sterile
anyway. In a settlement everything depends on the parties. It is not
possible to lead the parties to peace with one [mediating] party."
Liberating five districts still on agenda
Touching upon the proposals the EU has made on the Karabakh settlement
to date, Garton said that "the fate of those ideas shows that acting
as a mediator, which is outside intervention in the process, is
difficult and ineffective". "The EU possesses more possibilities and
leverage to solve the Karabakh problem."
If so, why does the EU not back up its proposals such as five
districts [Armenian-occupied districts around Nagornyy Karabakh] in
exchange for railway communications or other solution models and put
pressure on Yerevan to ensure their implementation?
The refusal to accept the EU's solution options does not mean that it
will not provide new proposals for a Karabakh solution, Garton
said. Simply, Europe "thinks it is better not to increase the number
of solution models which are being disputed by the parties and
remaining on paper".
"Moreover, the liberation of five districts is still on the agenda,"
the rapporteur said.
Saying that Armenia's position in the negotiation process "is
explained with rather heavy arguments", Garton refused to call that
country "non-constructive". "It would imply putting [the blame for]
the failure of the talks on one party. It can be just considered that
Yerevan's position in the peaceful settlement requires more
concessions than Azerbaijan's."
Conflict can be resolved in 12 months
Garton also said that the EU's increasing activity in the Karabakh
settlement is the main priority of the union's future performance,
since Azerbaijan and Armenia have been included into Europe's New
Neighbourhood programme and integration of both countries into the EU
depends on Karabakh.
"Negotiations will start with Ankara in 2005 on Turkey's integration
into the EU, thus bringing the borders of Europe closer to
Azerbaijan. As for the EU, it does not want problems like Karabakh to
persist in territories close to Europe," he said.
"I hope that the conflict will not last for another 12 years. Armenia
and Azerbaijan have already demanded that the [Minsk Group]
co-chairmen should increase their efforts. It builds up confidence
that the Minsk Group will increase activity and the conflict will be
resolved in 12 months."
Baku is optimistic
Commenting on the EU representative's statements to Ekspress,
Azerbaijani Deputy Foreign Minister Araz Azimov said: "The EU is our
strategic partner and supports Baku's position in the settlement
process. We are optimistic about war. Naturally, Azerbaijan has never
promised to observe eternal peace. Even in Europe it is not ruled out
that military operations may resume if the peace talks fail."