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VARTAN OSKANIAN: THE RUB IS IN DETAILS
By Tatoul Hakobian
AZG Armenian Daily #160
8/09/2005
Karabakh issue
Vartan Oskanian, RA foreign minister, stated at the joint press
conference with Dimitri Rupel, OSCE chairman-in-office, that "the
rub is in details" of Nagorno Karabakh settlement issue. He said that
when the foreign ministers of both countries discuss the details of
the settlement, "they may encounter serious obstacles." Mr. Rupel and
Oskanian emphasized that common "terms are being observed" in principal
issues between the sides. Mr. Oskanian didn't want to go into details
of the principle issues that made the position of the parties closer.
Mr. Rupel said that on the level of principles of the settlement the
positions of the parties are very alike, there are some problems
concerning the details and the settlement would have been reached
if only these problems were solved. "The issues of territorial
integrity and national self-determination are among the most important
ones. These two values, these two determinations can be "dealt"
and this is the message I received in Baku and Yerevan," he said.
In response to the issue whether Yerevan can accept a status for
Karabakh that can be less than independence, Mr. Oskanian said:
"I would put that question the other way around. We can't discuss
a version that won't secure the right of Karabakh people for
self-determination." Mr. Oskanian didn't comment on the possibility
of defining NKR's status through a referendum. President of Nagorno
Karabakh Arkady Ghukasian said in response to the same question on
NKR's status: "I can't fancy that. It resembles being a bit pregnant."
The official Yerevan has stated for many times that Nagorno Karabakh
has never been in the structure of independent Azerbaijan and will
never be. On the other hand, the current Armenian authorities keep
insisting on three principles: Nagorno Karabakh can never be a part
of Azerbaijan, it should have a common border with Armenia and the
international community should give security guarantees for Nagorno
Karabakh.
In response to the issue when NKR will be involved in the settlement
process, Mr. Oskanian said he doesn't doubt that it will happen. "When
the foreign ministers go into details and when the discussions reach
certain level, it will be necessary to restore the Minsk group
procedure and Karabakh will be involved in that," Mr. Oskanian
said. It's worth reminding that Minsk group process was led to a
dead-end after the Lisbon summit in 1996. The last trilateral meeting
between Armenia, NKR and Azerbaijan took place in Moscow, in April
of 1997.
Mr. Rupel neither condemned nor expressed any definite position about
the militant statements of Baku. Baku authorities often threaten to
settle the conflict through a war. Ilham Aliyev said that the military
budget of his country was tripled during the last few years and it
will amount to the whole state budget of Armenia, very soon. "The
statements I hear differ from what you hear (in Yerevan). I hear
statements of peace, of readiness to sign memorandum and reconciliation
in my conversations in Baku. Azerbaijan's statements that I hear are
so close to mutual concessions and reconciliation as those made by
the Armenian government."
Oskanian emphasized that Nagorno Karabakh conflict can have no military
solution, and the very fact that the conflict hasn't been settled till
now, means that it could have no military solution. In response to
the question about the possible impact of Baku-Ceyhan oil pipeline
on the settlement process, Vartan Oskanian said that they observe
the oil pipeline as and additional factor for preserving the peace.
Mr. Rupel met with the representatives of NGOs, RA Prime Minister and
RA President during his visit to Yerevan. Mr. Rupel passed "extremely
sincere message of Azeri president Ilham Aliyev" to Robert Kocharian.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
By Tatoul Hakobian
AZG Armenian Daily #160
8/09/2005
Karabakh issue
Vartan Oskanian, RA foreign minister, stated at the joint press
conference with Dimitri Rupel, OSCE chairman-in-office, that "the
rub is in details" of Nagorno Karabakh settlement issue. He said that
when the foreign ministers of both countries discuss the details of
the settlement, "they may encounter serious obstacles." Mr. Rupel and
Oskanian emphasized that common "terms are being observed" in principal
issues between the sides. Mr. Oskanian didn't want to go into details
of the principle issues that made the position of the parties closer.
Mr. Rupel said that on the level of principles of the settlement the
positions of the parties are very alike, there are some problems
concerning the details and the settlement would have been reached
if only these problems were solved. "The issues of territorial
integrity and national self-determination are among the most important
ones. These two values, these two determinations can be "dealt"
and this is the message I received in Baku and Yerevan," he said.
In response to the issue whether Yerevan can accept a status for
Karabakh that can be less than independence, Mr. Oskanian said:
"I would put that question the other way around. We can't discuss
a version that won't secure the right of Karabakh people for
self-determination." Mr. Oskanian didn't comment on the possibility
of defining NKR's status through a referendum. President of Nagorno
Karabakh Arkady Ghukasian said in response to the same question on
NKR's status: "I can't fancy that. It resembles being a bit pregnant."
The official Yerevan has stated for many times that Nagorno Karabakh
has never been in the structure of independent Azerbaijan and will
never be. On the other hand, the current Armenian authorities keep
insisting on three principles: Nagorno Karabakh can never be a part
of Azerbaijan, it should have a common border with Armenia and the
international community should give security guarantees for Nagorno
Karabakh.
In response to the issue when NKR will be involved in the settlement
process, Mr. Oskanian said he doesn't doubt that it will happen. "When
the foreign ministers go into details and when the discussions reach
certain level, it will be necessary to restore the Minsk group
procedure and Karabakh will be involved in that," Mr. Oskanian
said. It's worth reminding that Minsk group process was led to a
dead-end after the Lisbon summit in 1996. The last trilateral meeting
between Armenia, NKR and Azerbaijan took place in Moscow, in April
of 1997.
Mr. Rupel neither condemned nor expressed any definite position about
the militant statements of Baku. Baku authorities often threaten to
settle the conflict through a war. Ilham Aliyev said that the military
budget of his country was tripled during the last few years and it
will amount to the whole state budget of Armenia, very soon. "The
statements I hear differ from what you hear (in Yerevan). I hear
statements of peace, of readiness to sign memorandum and reconciliation
in my conversations in Baku. Azerbaijan's statements that I hear are
so close to mutual concessions and reconciliation as those made by
the Armenian government."
Oskanian emphasized that Nagorno Karabakh conflict can have no military
solution, and the very fact that the conflict hasn't been settled till
now, means that it could have no military solution. In response to
the question about the possible impact of Baku-Ceyhan oil pipeline
on the settlement process, Vartan Oskanian said that they observe
the oil pipeline as and additional factor for preserving the peace.
Mr. Rupel met with the representatives of NGOs, RA Prime Minister and
RA President during his visit to Yerevan. Mr. Rupel passed "extremely
sincere message of Azeri president Ilham Aliyev" to Robert Kocharian.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress