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United Press International
July 21 2005
Karabagh conflict may be near end
By Lara Salahi
United Press International
Published July 21, 2005
WASHINGTON -- Years of tension between Armenia and Azerbaijan over
the disputed territory of Nagorno-Karabakh are expected to fizzle
out after presidents from both countries meet in Russia next month
over the issue.
The dispute "could be settled by the end of the year or may not be
settled for 100 years --depending on the will of the government and
the people of the two nations," said Steven Mann, the U.S.
co-chair of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe's
Minsk Group.
In an effort to settle the dispute between the two former Soviet
republics, U.S., Russian, and French co-chairs of the OSCE formed the
Minsk Group to mediate between them on the future status of Karabakh.
"Although the possibility exists to resolve the conflict, there is
no guarantee that it will happen," said Mann at a news conference in
Yerevan, Armenia's capital, earlier this week.
Last month, Azeri Foreign Minister Vilayat Guliyev told his
Armenian counterpart, Vartan Oskanian, that Baku would open lines of
communication with Yerevan in exchange for a withdrawal of Armenian
troops from Nagorno-Karabakh.
"This is the first step in the much broader peace accord," said Khozar
Ibrahim, a spokesman for the Azeri Embassy in Washington.
"When we can find a solution to this, we can continue to move forward."
Although details of negotiations between Armenia and Azerbaijan have
not been made public, both countries have confirmed progress has been
made within the last month. Talks also included the possibility of a
referendum by the population in Karabakh to decide whether the region
will be ruled by Armenia or Azerbaijan.
Ibrahim said Azerbaijan was willing to give the residents of Karabakh
sovereignty as long as those Azeris who left the region during the
Armenian occupation would be allowed to vote.
"Azeris will not agree to any peace with Armenia unless (leaders
of both countries) talk about how Azeri refugees from the Karabakh
population will be compensated for leaving Karabakh," Reeves said.
If not, he predicted, there may be an increased chance of conflict.
Emil Sanamyan, director of the Office of Research and Information at
the Armenian Assembly of America, noted the difficulty of a referendum
was determining who exactly was a resident of Karabakh because members
of both populations were expelled in the 1990s.
"The outcome of the referendum will not be unpredictable," he said.
According to Reeves, the chances of Azerbaijan agreeing to a referendum
will be slim.
"(The people of Karabakh) want to be an independent country, but want
to be reliant on Armenia culturally and spiritually -- since a majority
of the Karabakh population are Armenian Christians," said Reeves.
"Any outcome by the people (of Karabakh) should not violate the basic
principles of Azerbaijan," said Ibrahim. "Azerbaijan is looking for
peaceful settlement over the conflict, but there will be no solution
if its territorial principle is violated."
Azeri consent to a sovereign Karabakh will require not dismantling
Azerbaijan's borders, said Ibrahim -- a challenging condition
considering Azerbaijan recognizes Karabakh as part of its territory.
Armenia, however, sees clear provisions for Karabakh that may impede
on Azerbaijan's initiative. According to Haik Gugarats, assistant
to Armenian Ambassador Tatoul Markarian, Armenia's conditions for a
sovereign Karabakh must include a guarantee that Karabakh "will not be
subordinated to Azerbaijan, it must have a land border with Armenia,
and there must be self-determination by the people of Karabakh."
"I am convinced, and it is widely shared, that any solution to the
conflict will be based on the fact and the right of self-determination
of the people of Nagorno-Karabakh, which is the core and the final
settlement must take that into account," Markarian told an Armenian
news agency.
However, Simon Reeve, writer and presenter of the BBC documentary,
"Places that Don't Exist," disagreed with any notable progression
toward peace.
"There is too much to be resolved that I can't see any settlement that
would make both sides happy or willing to compromise" Reeves said in
an interview. "It's hard to believe after years of fighting between
Azeris and Armenians that there will be a resolution any time soon."
Karabakh has been under Armenian occupation since the collapse of
the Soviet Union, and is the heart of the conflict between Azerbaijan
and Armenia since it declared independence in 1991.
Reeves said the Azerbaijani authorities seem keen on resolving tensions
with Armenia; but many Azeris may not allow a resolution because of
residual resentment toward the Armenians.
Although both parties have not set a deadline for an agreement,
Armenian President Robert Kocharian and Azerbaijani President
Ilham Aliyev's meeting in Russia Aug. 26 is a grand gesture to the
international community that both countries are willing to continue
negotiations in an effort to establish peaceful relations.
"It is never difficult to have discussions," said Sanamyan, "but the
biggest challenge will be to create a written accord--and even more
challenging: to get both parties to sign."
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
July 21 2005
Karabagh conflict may be near end
By Lara Salahi
United Press International
Published July 21, 2005
WASHINGTON -- Years of tension between Armenia and Azerbaijan over
the disputed territory of Nagorno-Karabakh are expected to fizzle
out after presidents from both countries meet in Russia next month
over the issue.
The dispute "could be settled by the end of the year or may not be
settled for 100 years --depending on the will of the government and
the people of the two nations," said Steven Mann, the U.S.
co-chair of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe's
Minsk Group.
In an effort to settle the dispute between the two former Soviet
republics, U.S., Russian, and French co-chairs of the OSCE formed the
Minsk Group to mediate between them on the future status of Karabakh.
"Although the possibility exists to resolve the conflict, there is
no guarantee that it will happen," said Mann at a news conference in
Yerevan, Armenia's capital, earlier this week.
Last month, Azeri Foreign Minister Vilayat Guliyev told his
Armenian counterpart, Vartan Oskanian, that Baku would open lines of
communication with Yerevan in exchange for a withdrawal of Armenian
troops from Nagorno-Karabakh.
"This is the first step in the much broader peace accord," said Khozar
Ibrahim, a spokesman for the Azeri Embassy in Washington.
"When we can find a solution to this, we can continue to move forward."
Although details of negotiations between Armenia and Azerbaijan have
not been made public, both countries have confirmed progress has been
made within the last month. Talks also included the possibility of a
referendum by the population in Karabakh to decide whether the region
will be ruled by Armenia or Azerbaijan.
Ibrahim said Azerbaijan was willing to give the residents of Karabakh
sovereignty as long as those Azeris who left the region during the
Armenian occupation would be allowed to vote.
"Azeris will not agree to any peace with Armenia unless (leaders
of both countries) talk about how Azeri refugees from the Karabakh
population will be compensated for leaving Karabakh," Reeves said.
If not, he predicted, there may be an increased chance of conflict.
Emil Sanamyan, director of the Office of Research and Information at
the Armenian Assembly of America, noted the difficulty of a referendum
was determining who exactly was a resident of Karabakh because members
of both populations were expelled in the 1990s.
"The outcome of the referendum will not be unpredictable," he said.
According to Reeves, the chances of Azerbaijan agreeing to a referendum
will be slim.
"(The people of Karabakh) want to be an independent country, but want
to be reliant on Armenia culturally and spiritually -- since a majority
of the Karabakh population are Armenian Christians," said Reeves.
"Any outcome by the people (of Karabakh) should not violate the basic
principles of Azerbaijan," said Ibrahim. "Azerbaijan is looking for
peaceful settlement over the conflict, but there will be no solution
if its territorial principle is violated."
Azeri consent to a sovereign Karabakh will require not dismantling
Azerbaijan's borders, said Ibrahim -- a challenging condition
considering Azerbaijan recognizes Karabakh as part of its territory.
Armenia, however, sees clear provisions for Karabakh that may impede
on Azerbaijan's initiative. According to Haik Gugarats, assistant
to Armenian Ambassador Tatoul Markarian, Armenia's conditions for a
sovereign Karabakh must include a guarantee that Karabakh "will not be
subordinated to Azerbaijan, it must have a land border with Armenia,
and there must be self-determination by the people of Karabakh."
"I am convinced, and it is widely shared, that any solution to the
conflict will be based on the fact and the right of self-determination
of the people of Nagorno-Karabakh, which is the core and the final
settlement must take that into account," Markarian told an Armenian
news agency.
However, Simon Reeve, writer and presenter of the BBC documentary,
"Places that Don't Exist," disagreed with any notable progression
toward peace.
"There is too much to be resolved that I can't see any settlement that
would make both sides happy or willing to compromise" Reeves said in
an interview. "It's hard to believe after years of fighting between
Azeris and Armenians that there will be a resolution any time soon."
Karabakh has been under Armenian occupation since the collapse of
the Soviet Union, and is the heart of the conflict between Azerbaijan
and Armenia since it declared independence in 1991.
Reeves said the Azerbaijani authorities seem keen on resolving tensions
with Armenia; but many Azeris may not allow a resolution because of
residual resentment toward the Armenians.
Although both parties have not set a deadline for an agreement,
Armenian President Robert Kocharian and Azerbaijani President
Ilham Aliyev's meeting in Russia Aug. 26 is a grand gesture to the
international community that both countries are willing to continue
negotiations in an effort to establish peaceful relations.
"It is never difficult to have discussions," said Sanamyan, "but the
biggest challenge will be to create a written accord--and even more
challenging: to get both parties to sign."
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress