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OSKANIAN COMMENTS ON THE STATEMENT OF THE CO-CHAIRS OF THE OSCE MINSK GROUP IN AN INTERVIEW TO ARMENPRESS
Yerevan, June 29. ArmInfo. The actual negotiating document on the
principles that is on the table today is all-encompassing. It covers
all the principles affecting the resolution of the conflict. It
includes the core issue of status of Nagorno Karabakh, territories,
refugees, security issues, peacekeeping and every other conceivable
issue that is necessary in order to arrive at a lasting resolution
of the conflict, Armenian Foreign Minister Vardan Oskanian says in
a interview to ArmenPress while commenting on the June 22 statement
of the OSCE MG co-chairs.
Only after full agreement on all these basic principles would the
parties, as the actual negotiating text says, "in cooperation with the
co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk group to begin work on the elaboration of
an agreement on the settlement of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict." In
other words, the agreement on principles will be comprehensive. The
final agreement may envision implementation over time.
Asked to comment on the passage "the principles include the phased
redeployment of Armenian troops from Azerbaijani territories around
Nagorno Karabakh, with special modalities for Kelbajar and Lachin
districts," Oskanian says that this formulation is indeed very broad,
and for a reason. This issue has two layers. One is the issue of
Lachin, where the actual negotiating text on principles provides
clear language stating that there will be "a corridor linking Nagorno
Karabakh to Armenia." For Armenia, it's very clear that this corridor
must have the same status as Nagorno Karabakh.
The second layer is the issue of Kelbajar. For Armenia, this also
is clear: based on security concerns, Kelbajar can be returned
only after the referendum is conducted and the final status of NK is
determined. Azerbaijan's position is different on Kelbajar. That's the
disagreement that the co-chairs are addressing in their statement. The
co-chairs' language in the actual negotiating text, with regard to
this issue, is generally in line with our approach.
The actual negotiating text on principles clearly specifies that
"the final legal status will be determined through a referendum /
population vote by the population of Nagorno Karabakh."
Concerning the sentence "certain interim arrangements for Nagorno
Karabakh would allow for interaction with providers of international
assistance," Oskanian says that this is only one element of a much more
detailed section in the actual negotiating text which addresses interim
status for Nagorno Karabakh. We think the co-chairs have emphasized
international engagement, because that's a major problem for the people
of Nagorno Karabakh. Their current, unrecognized, de-facto status,
has not allowed them to benefit from the generosity of international
organizations. In the actual negotiating text, the provisions address
such rights as control over their political and economic viability
and security, upholding their personal privileges and freedoms, the
right to democratically elect officials to govern Nagorno Karabakh,
the authority to effectively legislate and administer the internal
affairs of Nagorno Karabakh.
Asked what is Armenia's overall assessment of the content of the
document as it stands today, Oskanian says that this not a perfect
document. For anyone. However, there are enough solid and balanced
provisions, with the right trade-offs on the main issues - status,
territories and security - that we are prepared to continue to
negotiate on the basis of these principles. In today's context,
Azerbaijan's rhetoric about autonomy and desperate calls for
militarization surprise us. We have at hand a real opportunity to
resolve all issues, including the much- maligned issue of refugees.
But Azerbaijan must revert to real situations and real opportunities,
rather than illusory maximalist hopes. Today, we hope that Azerbaijan
will realize that we have a chance to resolve the conflict and achieve
a lasting peace.
Yerevan, June 29. ArmInfo. The actual negotiating document on the
principles that is on the table today is all-encompassing. It covers
all the principles affecting the resolution of the conflict. It
includes the core issue of status of Nagorno Karabakh, territories,
refugees, security issues, peacekeeping and every other conceivable
issue that is necessary in order to arrive at a lasting resolution
of the conflict, Armenian Foreign Minister Vardan Oskanian says in
a interview to ArmenPress while commenting on the June 22 statement
of the OSCE MG co-chairs.
Only after full agreement on all these basic principles would the
parties, as the actual negotiating text says, "in cooperation with the
co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk group to begin work on the elaboration of
an agreement on the settlement of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict." In
other words, the agreement on principles will be comprehensive. The
final agreement may envision implementation over time.
Asked to comment on the passage "the principles include the phased
redeployment of Armenian troops from Azerbaijani territories around
Nagorno Karabakh, with special modalities for Kelbajar and Lachin
districts," Oskanian says that this formulation is indeed very broad,
and for a reason. This issue has two layers. One is the issue of
Lachin, where the actual negotiating text on principles provides
clear language stating that there will be "a corridor linking Nagorno
Karabakh to Armenia." For Armenia, it's very clear that this corridor
must have the same status as Nagorno Karabakh.
The second layer is the issue of Kelbajar. For Armenia, this also
is clear: based on security concerns, Kelbajar can be returned
only after the referendum is conducted and the final status of NK is
determined. Azerbaijan's position is different on Kelbajar. That's the
disagreement that the co-chairs are addressing in their statement. The
co-chairs' language in the actual negotiating text, with regard to
this issue, is generally in line with our approach.
The actual negotiating text on principles clearly specifies that
"the final legal status will be determined through a referendum /
population vote by the population of Nagorno Karabakh."
Concerning the sentence "certain interim arrangements for Nagorno
Karabakh would allow for interaction with providers of international
assistance," Oskanian says that this is only one element of a much more
detailed section in the actual negotiating text which addresses interim
status for Nagorno Karabakh. We think the co-chairs have emphasized
international engagement, because that's a major problem for the people
of Nagorno Karabakh. Their current, unrecognized, de-facto status,
has not allowed them to benefit from the generosity of international
organizations. In the actual negotiating text, the provisions address
such rights as control over their political and economic viability
and security, upholding their personal privileges and freedoms, the
right to democratically elect officials to govern Nagorno Karabakh,
the authority to effectively legislate and administer the internal
affairs of Nagorno Karabakh.
Asked what is Armenia's overall assessment of the content of the
document as it stands today, Oskanian says that this not a perfect
document. For anyone. However, there are enough solid and balanced
provisions, with the right trade-offs on the main issues - status,
territories and security - that we are prepared to continue to
negotiate on the basis of these principles. In today's context,
Azerbaijan's rhetoric about autonomy and desperate calls for
militarization surprise us. We have at hand a real opportunity to
resolve all issues, including the much- maligned issue of refugees.
But Azerbaijan must revert to real situations and real opportunities,
rather than illusory maximalist hopes. Today, we hope that Azerbaijan
will realize that we have a chance to resolve the conflict and achieve
a lasting peace.