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AZERBAIJAN'S FORMER PERMANENT REPRESENTATIVE TO UN ON WHAT RUSSIA WILL DO IN EVENT OF RESUMED HOSTILITIES IN KARABAKH
Today
http://www.today.az/news/politics/72546.html
Aug 24 2010
Azerbaijan
Day.Az interview with Azerbaijan's permanent representative to UN in
1994-2001, Executive Director of the All-Russia Congress of Azerbaijan
Eldar Guliyev.
In your opinion, will Russia side with Armenia as a CSTO ally in
event of resumed hostilities in Karabakh?
The Charter of the Collective Security Treaty Organization has no
paragraph which would tell how to fight against any country outside the
Union and to do so on its territory. The Charter clearly stipulates
that the CSTO member states can help each other in repelling attacks
from third countries. Thus, the territory of Nagorno-Karabakh, which
Azerbaijan intends to return under its control as its historical land
in event of renewed hostilities, do not fall under the organization's
charter. Azerbaijan is not going to attack Armenia. This means that
Russia and other members of the CSTO will never enter into a possible
war on the side of Armenia.
And what are your comments on the protocol signed a couple of days
ago to extend presence of Russian military base in Gyumri?
With regard to the protocols extending deployment of Russian military
base in Gyumri, we know perfectly that the base has remained in
Armenia since the Soviet times and there is nothing new there.
Armenians could only prolong the stay of the Russian armed forces,
nothing more. This should be taken calmly. Armenia uses it solely for
propaganda purposes, pretending that something will change after term
of deployment expires.
In fact, nothing has changed. The parties originally signed the treaty
for 25 years, and extended it for another 25 years after it expired.
And does this change essence of stationing Russian forces in Armenia?
Not, of course.
You just have to take account traditional Armenian-Russian relations.
And returning to miliyary base, I must say that it is somewhat isolated
and unlikely to be a striking force.
If you look at the issue more broadly, the development of
Azerbaijani-Russian and Turkish-Russian relations do not allow consider
extending the deployment of a military base in Armenia as some kind of
danger. Today, the economic interests of Russia, Turkey and Azerbaijan
simply do not allow to change the balance of forces in the region in
favor of Armenia.
And I very much hope that Dmitry Medvedev's upcoming visit to Baku
will clarify some issues, and everything will eventually fall into
place. And everything that Azerbaijani leadership does towards peaceful
settlement of the conflict are most correct steps. This policy brings
some fruit albeit slowly, due to the fault of the Armenian side. And
nervousness of Armenia, which is trying to create myths about the
Russian military bases in the country out of nothing, once again
confirms the course taken by the leadership of Azerbaijan is correct.
During his visit to Armenia, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev
discussed settlement of the Karabakh conflict with his Armenian
counterpart. So, can we expect some progress in the settlement process
in the near future?
Given the rumors ahead of his visit that Russian president will bring a
plan to Armenia to resolve the conflict and put pressure the Armenian
leadership to make it begin to take positive steps towards Baku, we
can expect some changes. However, we should not think that everything
will be solved in coming months. Obviously, the negotiations are slow
and difficult. And the fact that Russia has his own game along with
advice from the U.S. can eventually lead to some progress.
And can Dmitry Medvedev's autumn visit to Baku become a landmark in
this regard?
Once in Yerevan he signed the protocol to extend the deployment of
military bases in Armenia, Medvedev cannot come to Baku empty-handed.
For sure, he wil bring something interesting to us. And, in the first
place, we are interested in what is connected with the settlement of
the Karabakh conflict.
From: A. Papazian
Today
http://www.today.az/news/politics/72546.html
Aug 24 2010
Azerbaijan
Day.Az interview with Azerbaijan's permanent representative to UN in
1994-2001, Executive Director of the All-Russia Congress of Azerbaijan
Eldar Guliyev.
In your opinion, will Russia side with Armenia as a CSTO ally in
event of resumed hostilities in Karabakh?
The Charter of the Collective Security Treaty Organization has no
paragraph which would tell how to fight against any country outside the
Union and to do so on its territory. The Charter clearly stipulates
that the CSTO member states can help each other in repelling attacks
from third countries. Thus, the territory of Nagorno-Karabakh, which
Azerbaijan intends to return under its control as its historical land
in event of renewed hostilities, do not fall under the organization's
charter. Azerbaijan is not going to attack Armenia. This means that
Russia and other members of the CSTO will never enter into a possible
war on the side of Armenia.
And what are your comments on the protocol signed a couple of days
ago to extend presence of Russian military base in Gyumri?
With regard to the protocols extending deployment of Russian military
base in Gyumri, we know perfectly that the base has remained in
Armenia since the Soviet times and there is nothing new there.
Armenians could only prolong the stay of the Russian armed forces,
nothing more. This should be taken calmly. Armenia uses it solely for
propaganda purposes, pretending that something will change after term
of deployment expires.
In fact, nothing has changed. The parties originally signed the treaty
for 25 years, and extended it for another 25 years after it expired.
And does this change essence of stationing Russian forces in Armenia?
Not, of course.
You just have to take account traditional Armenian-Russian relations.
And returning to miliyary base, I must say that it is somewhat isolated
and unlikely to be a striking force.
If you look at the issue more broadly, the development of
Azerbaijani-Russian and Turkish-Russian relations do not allow consider
extending the deployment of a military base in Armenia as some kind of
danger. Today, the economic interests of Russia, Turkey and Azerbaijan
simply do not allow to change the balance of forces in the region in
favor of Armenia.
And I very much hope that Dmitry Medvedev's upcoming visit to Baku
will clarify some issues, and everything will eventually fall into
place. And everything that Azerbaijani leadership does towards peaceful
settlement of the conflict are most correct steps. This policy brings
some fruit albeit slowly, due to the fault of the Armenian side. And
nervousness of Armenia, which is trying to create myths about the
Russian military bases in the country out of nothing, once again
confirms the course taken by the leadership of Azerbaijan is correct.
During his visit to Armenia, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev
discussed settlement of the Karabakh conflict with his Armenian
counterpart. So, can we expect some progress in the settlement process
in the near future?
Given the rumors ahead of his visit that Russian president will bring a
plan to Armenia to resolve the conflict and put pressure the Armenian
leadership to make it begin to take positive steps towards Baku, we
can expect some changes. However, we should not think that everything
will be solved in coming months. Obviously, the negotiations are slow
and difficult. And the fact that Russia has his own game along with
advice from the U.S. can eventually lead to some progress.
And can Dmitry Medvedev's autumn visit to Baku become a landmark in
this regard?
Once in Yerevan he signed the protocol to extend the deployment of
military bases in Armenia, Medvedev cannot come to Baku empty-handed.
For sure, he wil bring something interesting to us. And, in the first
place, we are interested in what is connected with the settlement of
the Karabakh conflict.
From: A. Papazian