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CAUCASUS TALKS WON'T RESOLVE ISSUES, SAYS ARMENIAN OFFICIAL
Turkish Daily News/Hurriyet
July 15 2009
Turkey
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
Vercihan Ziflioglu
YEREVAN - Hurriyet Daily News
As the presidents of Armenia and Azerbaijan prepare for another round
of peace talks Friday, a former deputy to the Armenian ambassador in
Moscow has said negotiations will fail to resolve the long-standing
Nagorno-Karabakh dispute.
Dr. Stepan Grigorian, who has also been an adviser to the Armenian
Foreign Ministry, told the Hurriyet Daily News & Economic Review
that Russia, which is hosting the Caucasus peace talks, does not
want reconciliation in the Karabakh dispute. He also said he thought
attempts by Matt Bryza, U.S. deputy assistant secretary of state
for European and Eurasian affairs, for a solution were superficial
and inadequate.
Presidents Serge Sarkisian of Armenia and Ilham Aliyev of Azerbaijan
met in November for talks near Moscow, as Russia cast itself as
peacemaker after its August war with Georgia. Russian President
Dmitry Medvedev said Armenia and Azerbaijan had made progress toward
a resolution. Mediators from the Organization for Security and
Cooperation in Europe, who have been monitoring peacemaking efforts,
had also reported in early May that they saw signs of progress.
Nagorno-Karabakh is an enclave in Azerbaijan that has been occupied
by Armenian forces since the end of a six-year conflict that killed
about 30,000 people and displaced 1 million before a truce was
reached in 1994. Its unilateral independence is not recognized by
the international community. Turkey closed its border with Armenia
in 1993 in support of Azerbaijan in the conflict.
Past policies:
Despite the promising signals from the peace negotiations, Grigorian
said he believed Friday's meeting between Sarkisian and Aliyev would
not provide a breakthrough in the Karabakh problem, which he said
had become more complicated due to the flawed policies of Armenia's
second President Robert Kocharian.
"Since Kocharian himself was from Karabakh, he wanted to rule
Armenia and the disputed region together. He advocated Karabakh
independence. But this perception made the situation more difficult,"
he said.
Evaluating the Russian mediation of the talks, Grigorian said
he did not believe Moscow was honest about a clear solution to
the dispute, adding: "Russia just pursues its own interest in the
negotiations. Therefore, a solution will not be possible unless the
interests of Russia, along with the U.S., have been met."
According to Grigorian, Russia wants to be the only power in the
Caucasus region and a possible deal between Yerevan and Baku means
waning Russian influence in both former Soviet countries. Recalling
Russia's recognition of the Georgian rebel regions of South Ossetia
and Abhkazia, Grigorian said that like the international community
Russia had never recognized the independence of Karabakh.
"Armenia thinks Russia will always be the protector country, but this
is a big mistake. Russia's stance on Karabakh's independence should
be an important lesson for Armenia," he said.
Criticism of optimism:
Grigorian said he thought attempts by Bryza for a solution were
left wanting. "It is hard to understand the optimism of Bryza on the
Karabakh issue. Optimistic statements raise expectations and that is
extremely wrong. Bryza does not know the area well enough and this
is a great danger."
He also suggested that rushing the process might pose grave risks
to the region and could even lead to another war, which would cause
instability not only in the Caucasus but also in the Middle East.
Grigorian said among all EU nations, only the policies of France
were similar to the Russian stance "because of the French hostility
toward Turkey."
"France does not want Turkish-Armenian relations improved," he said,
adding: "Ankara is seeking a deal with the Armenians that will open
the EU's doors to Turkey. However, France does not want to see Turkey
among the EU family."
As a result the key to a solution is in the hands of the Armenian
and Azerbaijani people, Gregorian said, adding that they should
be further informed because both societies were not ready for the
solution process yet.
Gregorian said he also believed Turkey might play an active role in
the process by establishing dialogue with Armenia. But warned: "Like
Cyprus, the Karabakh problem is not one that can be solved quickly."
Turkish Daily News/Hurriyet
July 15 2009
Turkey
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
Vercihan Ziflioglu
YEREVAN - Hurriyet Daily News
As the presidents of Armenia and Azerbaijan prepare for another round
of peace talks Friday, a former deputy to the Armenian ambassador in
Moscow has said negotiations will fail to resolve the long-standing
Nagorno-Karabakh dispute.
Dr. Stepan Grigorian, who has also been an adviser to the Armenian
Foreign Ministry, told the Hurriyet Daily News & Economic Review
that Russia, which is hosting the Caucasus peace talks, does not
want reconciliation in the Karabakh dispute. He also said he thought
attempts by Matt Bryza, U.S. deputy assistant secretary of state
for European and Eurasian affairs, for a solution were superficial
and inadequate.
Presidents Serge Sarkisian of Armenia and Ilham Aliyev of Azerbaijan
met in November for talks near Moscow, as Russia cast itself as
peacemaker after its August war with Georgia. Russian President
Dmitry Medvedev said Armenia and Azerbaijan had made progress toward
a resolution. Mediators from the Organization for Security and
Cooperation in Europe, who have been monitoring peacemaking efforts,
had also reported in early May that they saw signs of progress.
Nagorno-Karabakh is an enclave in Azerbaijan that has been occupied
by Armenian forces since the end of a six-year conflict that killed
about 30,000 people and displaced 1 million before a truce was
reached in 1994. Its unilateral independence is not recognized by
the international community. Turkey closed its border with Armenia
in 1993 in support of Azerbaijan in the conflict.
Past policies:
Despite the promising signals from the peace negotiations, Grigorian
said he believed Friday's meeting between Sarkisian and Aliyev would
not provide a breakthrough in the Karabakh problem, which he said
had become more complicated due to the flawed policies of Armenia's
second President Robert Kocharian.
"Since Kocharian himself was from Karabakh, he wanted to rule
Armenia and the disputed region together. He advocated Karabakh
independence. But this perception made the situation more difficult,"
he said.
Evaluating the Russian mediation of the talks, Grigorian said
he did not believe Moscow was honest about a clear solution to
the dispute, adding: "Russia just pursues its own interest in the
negotiations. Therefore, a solution will not be possible unless the
interests of Russia, along with the U.S., have been met."
According to Grigorian, Russia wants to be the only power in the
Caucasus region and a possible deal between Yerevan and Baku means
waning Russian influence in both former Soviet countries. Recalling
Russia's recognition of the Georgian rebel regions of South Ossetia
and Abhkazia, Grigorian said that like the international community
Russia had never recognized the independence of Karabakh.
"Armenia thinks Russia will always be the protector country, but this
is a big mistake. Russia's stance on Karabakh's independence should
be an important lesson for Armenia," he said.
Criticism of optimism:
Grigorian said he thought attempts by Bryza for a solution were
left wanting. "It is hard to understand the optimism of Bryza on the
Karabakh issue. Optimistic statements raise expectations and that is
extremely wrong. Bryza does not know the area well enough and this
is a great danger."
He also suggested that rushing the process might pose grave risks
to the region and could even lead to another war, which would cause
instability not only in the Caucasus but also in the Middle East.
Grigorian said among all EU nations, only the policies of France
were similar to the Russian stance "because of the French hostility
toward Turkey."
"France does not want Turkish-Armenian relations improved," he said,
adding: "Ankara is seeking a deal with the Armenians that will open
the EU's doors to Turkey. However, France does not want to see Turkey
among the EU family."
As a result the key to a solution is in the hands of the Armenian
and Azerbaijani people, Gregorian said, adding that they should
be further informed because both societies were not ready for the
solution process yet.
Gregorian said he also believed Turkey might play an active role in
the process by establishing dialogue with Armenia. But warned: "Like
Cyprus, the Karabakh problem is not one that can be solved quickly."