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'CONTINUOUS STEPS' NEEDED TOWARDS ARMENIAN-AZERBAIJANI DIALOGUE
news.az
Nov 18 2010
Azerbaijan
Kirill Tanayev News.Az interviews Kirill Tanayev, general director
of the Effective Policy Foundation.
The third summit of the heads of the Caspian littoral states to
discuss the legal status of the Caspian Sea and security cooperation
is being held in Baku on 18 November. Do you think the summit will
be affected by the cooling in relations between Iran and Russia,
after Mahmoud Ahmadinejad accused Moscow of betrayal over the supply
of S-300s to Tehran?
First of all, I would separate political rhetoric and issues of
strategic relations between countries. It is better to see the
significant and essential differences between the public statements
of politicians and relations between presidents, the problems they
raise and discuss in a bilateral format, especially since the summit
will discuss issues of importance to the entire region, to all Caspian
states. Therefore, it's better not to hurry to make hasty assessments
and forecasts.
The first summit of heads of OSCE member-states in 11 years will be
held in December in Astana. The OSCE Minsk Group has been dealing
with the resolution of the Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict over
Nagorno-Karabakh for many years. Should we expect a breakthrough on
this in Astana?
It is not ruled out that important initiatives and statements on the
Karabakh conflict will be voiced at the OSCE summit in Astana. Anyway,
Russian President Dmitriy Medvedev and the OSCE Minsk Group have done
a great deal on this recently. There is definite expectation.
At the same time, I think the expectation of a "breakthrough",
which is perceived differently in Azerbaijan and Armenia, is a little
optimistic. I do not expect a rapid and simple way out of a conflict
such as Nagorno-Karabakh at all. There are no simple solutions in
cases where blood is still being shed.
As a Minsk Group co-chair, Russia has recently been taking the
initiative in settling the Karabakh conflict. Several trilateral
meetings have been held in recent months involving the presidents of
Russia, Azerbaijan and Armenia. The latest one was held in Astrakhan.
Will Moscow's attempts lead to a breakthrough?
First of all, I would like to stress the principal importance of
the continuing dialogue between Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev
and Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan under the mediation of Dmitriy
Medvedev.I think it is of principal importance in the current situation
to prevent the start of comperehensive military action in the conflict
area. Preventing the sides from using force and encouraging dialogue
is the best and most realistic strategy today.
There is a need for continuous steps, however small, on the way to
dialogue. And in this sense the latest meeting of the three presidents
in Astrakhan has already yielded some results. I think others will
also follow. I believe this action is the important foreign policy
achievement of President Medvedev.
What are Russia's priorities in the region in 2011? What is the role of
Baku and Yerevan in Moscow's policy in the South Caucasus and beyond?
The priorities of 2011 hardly differ significantly from the priorities
of 2010 and 2009: peace and stability in the South Caucasus; economic
development and cooperation; raising trust and security between the
countries. This is the principal position of Russia.
Both Azerbaijan and Armenia are countries that have not only common
history with Russia. Both Azerbaijan and Armenia are strategic allies
of Russia, their peoples are connected with the Russian people through
great economic, educational, scientific, cultural and, finally,
interpersonal relations.
Russia is interested in the prosperity of all the countries in the
region and is interested in the development of mutually profitable
economic, public, scientific and educational and cultural relations
with them. Much has already been achieved. I think the positive
dynamics in relations between Azerbaijan and Armenia with Russia will
develop next year. All the conditions are in place for this.
From: A. Papazian
news.az
Nov 18 2010
Azerbaijan
Kirill Tanayev News.Az interviews Kirill Tanayev, general director
of the Effective Policy Foundation.
The third summit of the heads of the Caspian littoral states to
discuss the legal status of the Caspian Sea and security cooperation
is being held in Baku on 18 November. Do you think the summit will
be affected by the cooling in relations between Iran and Russia,
after Mahmoud Ahmadinejad accused Moscow of betrayal over the supply
of S-300s to Tehran?
First of all, I would separate political rhetoric and issues of
strategic relations between countries. It is better to see the
significant and essential differences between the public statements
of politicians and relations between presidents, the problems they
raise and discuss in a bilateral format, especially since the summit
will discuss issues of importance to the entire region, to all Caspian
states. Therefore, it's better not to hurry to make hasty assessments
and forecasts.
The first summit of heads of OSCE member-states in 11 years will be
held in December in Astana. The OSCE Minsk Group has been dealing
with the resolution of the Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict over
Nagorno-Karabakh for many years. Should we expect a breakthrough on
this in Astana?
It is not ruled out that important initiatives and statements on the
Karabakh conflict will be voiced at the OSCE summit in Astana. Anyway,
Russian President Dmitriy Medvedev and the OSCE Minsk Group have done
a great deal on this recently. There is definite expectation.
At the same time, I think the expectation of a "breakthrough",
which is perceived differently in Azerbaijan and Armenia, is a little
optimistic. I do not expect a rapid and simple way out of a conflict
such as Nagorno-Karabakh at all. There are no simple solutions in
cases where blood is still being shed.
As a Minsk Group co-chair, Russia has recently been taking the
initiative in settling the Karabakh conflict. Several trilateral
meetings have been held in recent months involving the presidents of
Russia, Azerbaijan and Armenia. The latest one was held in Astrakhan.
Will Moscow's attempts lead to a breakthrough?
First of all, I would like to stress the principal importance of
the continuing dialogue between Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev
and Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan under the mediation of Dmitriy
Medvedev.I think it is of principal importance in the current situation
to prevent the start of comperehensive military action in the conflict
area. Preventing the sides from using force and encouraging dialogue
is the best and most realistic strategy today.
There is a need for continuous steps, however small, on the way to
dialogue. And in this sense the latest meeting of the three presidents
in Astrakhan has already yielded some results. I think others will
also follow. I believe this action is the important foreign policy
achievement of President Medvedev.
What are Russia's priorities in the region in 2011? What is the role of
Baku and Yerevan in Moscow's policy in the South Caucasus and beyond?
The priorities of 2011 hardly differ significantly from the priorities
of 2010 and 2009: peace and stability in the South Caucasus; economic
development and cooperation; raising trust and security between the
countries. This is the principal position of Russia.
Both Azerbaijan and Armenia are countries that have not only common
history with Russia. Both Azerbaijan and Armenia are strategic allies
of Russia, their peoples are connected with the Russian people through
great economic, educational, scientific, cultural and, finally,
interpersonal relations.
Russia is interested in the prosperity of all the countries in the
region and is interested in the development of mutually profitable
economic, public, scientific and educational and cultural relations
with them. Much has already been achieved. I think the positive
dynamics in relations between Azerbaijan and Armenia with Russia will
develop next year. All the conditions are in place for this.
From: A. Papazian