Announcement

Collapse
No announcement yet.

Effectiveness of Karabakh talks questioned in Baku

Collapse
X
 
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts

  • Effectiveness of Karabakh talks questioned in Baku

    Agency WPS
    DEFENSE and SECURITY (Russia)
    October 6, 2006 Friday

    PRESSURE ON ILHAM ALIYEV IS INCREASING;
    Effectiveness of Karabakh talks questioned in Baku

    by Sohbet Mamedov

    PRESIDENT ILHAM ALIYEV IS URGED TO SEND AN ARMY TO LIBERATE THE
    OCCUPIED TERRITORIES; Azerbaijani hawks demand a military solution to
    the Karabakh problem. The authorities are coming to see it as the
    only option.



    Chairmen of the OSCE Minsk group for Karabakh conflict resolution
    came to Baku yesterday when the Russian-Georgian relations were at
    their all-time low, the crisis fomented by the situation with
    Abkhazia and South Ossetia. In Azerbaijan itself, dissatisfaction is
    mounting concerning the Europeans' efforts as mediators. Voices in
    Baku urge President Ilham Aliyev to send an army to liberate the
    occupied territories. Promoters of this solution refer to the lack of
    results in the negotiations dragging out for over a decade already
    and to sharply-worded statements made by official Yerevan. Telling
    Al-Jazeera TV-station the other day, "As I see it, relations between
    Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh will continue their development and we
    will form a federation one fine day. As for the relations between
    these two countries, let the future generations decide the matter..."
    President of Armenia Robert Kocharjan made Azerbaijani hawks happy.

    Made on the eve of OSCE Minsk Group chairmen's arrival, Kocharjan's
    statement added fuel to the fire and strengthened the positions of
    the circles in the Azerbaijani establishment that had never believed
    in negotiations. Matthew Bryza of the United States, Yuri Merzlyakov
    of Russia, Bernard Faciet of France (three chairmen), and OSCE
    Chairman's Envoy Andrzej Kaspcik met with Foreign Minister Elmar
    Mamedjarov and Aliyev himself, yesterday. The meetings took place
    with anti-Armenian actions of the opposition unfolding in the
    streets. Activists of the non-governmental organization Karabakh
    Liberation Organization (KLO) undertook to stage a protest action in
    front of the Foreign Ministry when the negotiations were taking place
    inside. It made a statement demanding no more visits of OSCE Minsk
    Group chairmen to the region as pointless and disbandment of the OSCE
    Minsk Group itself. KLO leader Akif Nagi said. "Since the UN General
    Assembly is discussing conflicts in GUAM countries, Azerbaijan should
    demand that the UN force Armenia to fulfill all four resolutions and
    that it contemplate sanctions against Armenia. Azerbaijan should
    launch a war and liberate the occupied territories all on its own
    otherwise." Practically all parties of the opposition and even some
    deputies of the national parliament agree with Nagi.

    The possibility of the use of military might as a solution to the
    problem is even discussed in official structures of Azerbaijan and
    mentioned by Aliyev himself. Azerbaijan has been upping war spending
    for years. Defense expenditures in the 2007 budget, will top this
    years figure by 26.7%. Already endorsed by the Cabinet, the draft
    budget was forwarded to the presidential administration. A source in
    the government of Azerbaijan says that sum total of war spending will
    reach $900 million ($200 million more than in 2006).

    Source: Nezavisimaya Gazeta, October 3, 2006, p. 6
Working...
X