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Conflict Parties Have Potential For Peace Talks

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  • Conflict Parties Have Potential For Peace Talks

    CONFLICT PARTIES HAVE POTENTIAL FOR PEACE TALKS
    E. Babayan

    Azat Artsakh, Nagorno Karabakh Republic [NKR]
    01 June 2006

    An international seminar entitled "Evolution and Effective Management
    of Conflicts. Principles, Approaches and Technologies" was held on May
    18 and 19 in Tbilisi, Georgia. The seminar included representatives
    from Georgia, Russia, Ukraine, Armenia, Azerbaijan, South Osetia,
    and Nagorno Karabakh. Our country's representative was Albert
    Voskanian, the director of the Civic Action Centre human rights NGO,
    the coordinator of the task force on the missing, hostages and POWs
    in the Karabakh conflict area. On returning from Tbilisi Albert
    Voskanian told our reporter that he had presented a report on "The
    Problem of Disadvantages of Negotiation Formats. Double Standards"
    noting that the Karabakh conflict had been artificially moved from the
    Karabakh-Azerbaijani to the Armenian-Azerbaijani plane, distorting
    the essence of the conflict. "The armistice in 1994 was signed
    by three parties: Nagorno Karabakh, Azerbaijan, and Armenia. It
    is unfair and wrong that Nagorno Karabakh was forced out of the
    talks. The people of Karabakh should decide their fate themselves at
    the table of negotiations with Azerbaijan directly. The legitimate
    government of Nagorno Karabakh must participate in the talks and
    represent the interests of its people," said Albert Voskanian, adding
    that in the referendum in 1991 the people of Nagorno Karabakh made
    their choice. After his report during the seminar Albert Voskanian
    received a number of questions, which mainly referred to the occupied
    territories and refugees. Albert Voskanian stated that these are
    questions that should be settled at the table of negotiations. "When
    we consider the return of Azerbaijani refugees, we should not forget
    about the Armenian refugees, who also have the right to live where
    they used to live. For the territories occupied during the war,
    these are now a "security area" for Nagorno Karabakh, guaranteeing
    the security of Nagorno Karabakh settlements in case Azerbaijan
    bombs these settlements." He also reminded the participants about
    the territories of Nagorno Karabakh controlled by Azerbaijan, namely
    the region of Shahumian, a number of settlements in the regions of
    Martakert and Martuni. Albert Voskanian thinks that it is necessary
    to prepare the publics of the conflict sides for possible compromise
    to achieve progress in the peace talks. "The leaderships of the
    conflict parties should work with their publics, prepare them for the
    idea that compromise in signing a peace agreement is inevitable and
    it is a practical step, not a half measure. This perception lacks,
    the Azerbaijani side constantly threatens to start military actions,
    and Karabakh displays its readiness to counterattack." At the same
    time, he said the conflict over Karabakh is the only conflict in the
    post-Soviet space where no peacemakers are involved. "The military
    actions did not resume after signing the armistice on May 12, 1994,
    and tens of thousands of lives were spared. This allows concluding
    that the conflict sides have the potential for peace talks," said
    Albert Voskanian. Elchin Behbutov, the chairman of the Committee
    Against Torture, has stated recently that there are secret prisons
    in Karabakh, and the Armenians torture Azerbaijani POWs. In answer to
    this statement Albert Voskanian said this is but misinformation. "Our
    organization regularly conducts monitoring in the penitentiaries in
    the country, the remand prison of Stepanakert and the prison of Shushi
    for over four years, to find out the state of sanitation and hygiene,
    rights of prisoners, etc. In the reports, which are extended to the
    Council of Europe, the UN High Commissioner on Human Rights, the OSCE
    and other international organizations, we have noted a number of times
    that the inmates are Armenians only. If there were inmates of other
    nationalities, including Azerbaijanis, we would write about it by
    all means," said Albert Voskanian. "The officers of the International
    Committee of the Red Cross in Stepanakert also visit the penitentiaries
    of Nagorno Karabakh, and there are no closed doors for them. I think
    they will also refute the information on Azerbaijani POWs in the
    prisons in Karabakh. After the ceasefire in the Karabakh conflict area
    Azerbaijani human rights defenders visited the prisons in Karabakh. So,
    the information in the Azerbaijani mass media that Azerbaijani soldiers
    undergo violence in the prison of Shushi is false."
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