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BRITISH NGO HEAD CALLS ON BAKU, YEREVAN TO CONTINUE PEACE TALKS
by C. Ali's
Day.Az
April 4 2008
Azerbaijan
Denis Sammut: The Minsk process should be improved
A Day.az interview with the executive director of the British
non-governmental organization Links, Dennis Sammut.
[Interviewer] How can the recently adopted UN Resolution "On the
situation in the occupied territories ofAzerbaijan" influence the
peace talks on Nagornyy Karabakh?
[Sammut] I think that Azerbaijan must use peaceful means to resolve
the Nagornyy Karabakh conflict. In this sense theUN resolution is
one of such means. I cannot criticize Azerbaijan for using its own
diplomatic potential to assert itsposition. It is a matter of tactics.
[Interviewer] Do you not think that the vote of the co-chairs [of
the OSCE Minsk Group, the USA, Russia and France,which was set up
to resolve the conflict] against this resolution spoils the image of
these countries as mediators inthe Karabakh settlement?
[Sammut] I was very surprised to see that the co-chairs voted in
that way. I have to admit that I did not expect themto make such a
decision. But I understand that on the whole the co-chairs did not
act against this resolution. They wereunhappy that the resolution was
taken into consideration as such. I think that their vote should be
considered in thecontext that the USA, Russia and France voted against
the resolution not as the co-chairs but as individual countries.They
have to admit what has eventually happened in any case.
[Interviewer] Are the calls of Baku for the replacement of the
co-chairs in this case justified?
[Sammut] The Minsk process has several elements. First of all, it
is the OSCE itself, the second is the Minsk Group, the third is the
co-chairs of the Minsk group as mediating countries and the fourth
is the public represented by thosecountries. I am not still clear
what this protest is aimed at. What is the object of the criticism:
the OSCE, the Minsk Group, the co-chairs or separate representatives?
I have always said that the Minsk process should be flexible. The
situation in Nagornyy Karabakh and around it haschanged and one
needs to understand that the Minsk process should be improved. This
process is not something sacred orimmune, but is an instrument through
which the international community offered assistance to Azerbaijan
and Armenia inthe resolution of the Nagornyy Karabakh conflict more
than 10 years ago and which should be changed depending on thecurrent
situation.
[Interviewer] How can the election of Serzh Sargsyan as the new
president of Armenia tell on the peace talks on theKarabakh settlement?
[Sammut] I visited Armenia last week and met different members of the
Armenian government. They tried to convince me at every meeting that
Armenia was about to see big changes. There will be a lot of new people
and new policies. Theymeant not only Nagornyy Karabakh, but also policy
in general. But in any case, this will affect the Karabakh problem,too.
I believe that we are in such a vital period when the mechanism of
talks should be more actively used. I hope thatboth Azerbaijan and
Armenia will use it in the months to come.
by C. Ali's
Day.Az
April 4 2008
Azerbaijan
Denis Sammut: The Minsk process should be improved
A Day.az interview with the executive director of the British
non-governmental organization Links, Dennis Sammut.
[Interviewer] How can the recently adopted UN Resolution "On the
situation in the occupied territories ofAzerbaijan" influence the
peace talks on Nagornyy Karabakh?
[Sammut] I think that Azerbaijan must use peaceful means to resolve
the Nagornyy Karabakh conflict. In this sense theUN resolution is
one of such means. I cannot criticize Azerbaijan for using its own
diplomatic potential to assert itsposition. It is a matter of tactics.
[Interviewer] Do you not think that the vote of the co-chairs [of
the OSCE Minsk Group, the USA, Russia and France,which was set up
to resolve the conflict] against this resolution spoils the image of
these countries as mediators inthe Karabakh settlement?
[Sammut] I was very surprised to see that the co-chairs voted in
that way. I have to admit that I did not expect themto make such a
decision. But I understand that on the whole the co-chairs did not
act against this resolution. They wereunhappy that the resolution was
taken into consideration as such. I think that their vote should be
considered in thecontext that the USA, Russia and France voted against
the resolution not as the co-chairs but as individual countries.They
have to admit what has eventually happened in any case.
[Interviewer] Are the calls of Baku for the replacement of the
co-chairs in this case justified?
[Sammut] The Minsk process has several elements. First of all, it
is the OSCE itself, the second is the Minsk Group, the third is the
co-chairs of the Minsk group as mediating countries and the fourth
is the public represented by thosecountries. I am not still clear
what this protest is aimed at. What is the object of the criticism:
the OSCE, the Minsk Group, the co-chairs or separate representatives?
I have always said that the Minsk process should be flexible. The
situation in Nagornyy Karabakh and around it haschanged and one
needs to understand that the Minsk process should be improved. This
process is not something sacred orimmune, but is an instrument through
which the international community offered assistance to Azerbaijan
and Armenia inthe resolution of the Nagornyy Karabakh conflict more
than 10 years ago and which should be changed depending on thecurrent
situation.
[Interviewer] How can the election of Serzh Sargsyan as the new
president of Armenia tell on the peace talks on theKarabakh settlement?
[Sammut] I visited Armenia last week and met different members of the
Armenian government. They tried to convince me at every meeting that
Armenia was about to see big changes. There will be a lot of new people
and new policies. Theymeant not only Nagornyy Karabakh, but also policy
in general. But in any case, this will affect the Karabakh problem,too.
I believe that we are in such a vital period when the mechanism of
talks should be more actively used. I hope thatboth Azerbaijan and
Armenia will use it in the months to come.