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The International Herald Tribune, France
October 22, 2008 Wednesday
Medvedev wades into Karabakh conflict
YEREVAN, Armenia
President Dmitri Medvedev of Russia, projecting Moscow's diplomatic
clout in the Caucasus, pushed Tuesday to bring the leaders of Armenia
and Azerbaijan together for talks on the breakaway Nagorno-Karabakh
region.
Ethnic Armenians in Nagorno-Karabakh broke away from Azerbaijan in a
war as the Soviet Union fell apart and the region now runs its own
affairs, with support from Armenia. It has declared its independence
but is not recognized by any state.
President Serge Sargsyan of Armenia and his counterpart from
Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev, last met on the issue in early June, but the
war in Georgia in August appears to have lent fresh impetus to
diplomatic efforts to resolve the conflict.
The war in Georgia erupted when Moscow sent troops to crush a bid by
Georgian troops to reassert control over the breakaway region of South
Ossetia, another ''frozen conflict'' arising from the breakup of the
Soviet Union.
Visiting Armenia, a staunch ally, Medvedev said the war in Georgia had
shown the need to resolve disputes ''on the basis of international
principles and by negotiations.''
Armenia and Azerbaijan have never signed a peace treaty, and
Azerbaijan has not ruled out using force to restore its control over
Nagorno-Karabakh.
''I hope we are in an advanced stage now,'' Medvedev said after talks
with Sargsyan.
''Both sides are ready to seek solutions,'' he said, adding that he
hoped to meet together with Sargsyan and Aliyev ''in the very near
future.''
''I hope such a meeting will take place in Russia.''
Turkey, a NATO member and ally of Azerbaijan, had taken the diplomatic
lead on Nagorno-Karabakh in the wake of the August war. The initiative
by Medvedev will be seen as a response, in a region where Russia and
the West are vying for influence over vital energy transit routes from
Central Asia to Western markets.
Diplomats say that, without Russia, little headway can be made on the
frozen conflicts.
The war between Russia and Georgia deepened concern in the West over
the reliability of the Caucasus energy corridor.
Armenia is considered Russia's strongest ally in the region, but is
also being courted by the United States. Yerevan is a member of the
NATO Partnership for Peace program and hosted alliance exercises over
the past three weeks.
October 22, 2008 Wednesday
Medvedev wades into Karabakh conflict
YEREVAN, Armenia
President Dmitri Medvedev of Russia, projecting Moscow's diplomatic
clout in the Caucasus, pushed Tuesday to bring the leaders of Armenia
and Azerbaijan together for talks on the breakaway Nagorno-Karabakh
region.
Ethnic Armenians in Nagorno-Karabakh broke away from Azerbaijan in a
war as the Soviet Union fell apart and the region now runs its own
affairs, with support from Armenia. It has declared its independence
but is not recognized by any state.
President Serge Sargsyan of Armenia and his counterpart from
Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev, last met on the issue in early June, but the
war in Georgia in August appears to have lent fresh impetus to
diplomatic efforts to resolve the conflict.
The war in Georgia erupted when Moscow sent troops to crush a bid by
Georgian troops to reassert control over the breakaway region of South
Ossetia, another ''frozen conflict'' arising from the breakup of the
Soviet Union.
Visiting Armenia, a staunch ally, Medvedev said the war in Georgia had
shown the need to resolve disputes ''on the basis of international
principles and by negotiations.''
Armenia and Azerbaijan have never signed a peace treaty, and
Azerbaijan has not ruled out using force to restore its control over
Nagorno-Karabakh.
''I hope we are in an advanced stage now,'' Medvedev said after talks
with Sargsyan.
''Both sides are ready to seek solutions,'' he said, adding that he
hoped to meet together with Sargsyan and Aliyev ''in the very near
future.''
''I hope such a meeting will take place in Russia.''
Turkey, a NATO member and ally of Azerbaijan, had taken the diplomatic
lead on Nagorno-Karabakh in the wake of the August war. The initiative
by Medvedev will be seen as a response, in a region where Russia and
the West are vying for influence over vital energy transit routes from
Central Asia to Western markets.
Diplomats say that, without Russia, little headway can be made on the
frozen conflicts.
The war between Russia and Georgia deepened concern in the West over
the reliability of the Caucasus energy corridor.
Armenia is considered Russia's strongest ally in the region, but is
also being courted by the United States. Yerevan is a member of the
NATO Partnership for Peace program and hosted alliance exercises over
the past three weeks.