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OSHEEN KESHISHIAN: NO NEW POSITIVE SIGNS
Noyan Tapan
www.nt.am
19.08.2011
(Noyan Tapan - 19.08.2011) By Prof. Osheen Keshishian
Despite efforts by the international mediators, the European Union
members and particularly Russia, the Nagorno Karabakh settlement
issue does not seem to be imminent.
The OSCE Minsk Group as well as Armenia and Azerbaijan got ready
for the Kazan Meeting (June of this year), but nothing tangible was
accomplished, except it became evident that Azerbaijan put a monkey
wrench during the discussions, as Armenia's Foreign Minister stated.
Now, Azeri officials, publicly and approvingly are referring to the
10-points that Azerbaijan introduced during the meeting, thus creating
more problems for the future negotiations.
It is interesting that the international mediators are aware of
Azerbaijan's new proposals, and are not bringing them up. It is
very clear now that even the Azeri media is bringing that to the
front burner.
While Nagorno Karabakh, according to the then existing Constitution's
self-determination clause declared independence, yet Azeri President
Ilham Aliyev several times stressed that Nagorno Karabakh is part
of Azerbaijan and Azerbaijan will not relinquish an inch of land
to NKR and will give Nagorno Karabakh an autonomous status... As if
that was not enough, he even stated that Nagorno Karabakh was under
Azerbaijani rule for the past 600 years (sic). No one asked him as
to when did Azerbaijan get established? Was there an Azerbaijan 600
years ago? I think that the Armenian government or historians should
react to this statement and put the record straight, because the more
the unaware people read it, the more they start believing in it.
Similarly, Aliyev made a militaristic statement at a press conference
in Baku on July 29 that "there will come a time when Azerbaijan will
restore its sovereignty over Nagorno-Karabakh through peaceful or
military means." Reaction?
One Azeri political analyst even went so far to say that the United
States is supporting Karabakh so that it can use the Karabakh's
Stepanakert airport to attack the countries nearby....
Armenia's President has kept his cool and countenance. Following the
diatribe by Aliyev, who had mentioned that "something is missing in
the heads" of Armenian leaders, clearly and simply responded at a
press conference "Is that a statement by a normal individual, let
alone a leader of a country".
Similarly, following the Medvedev-Aliyev meeting in Sochi on August 9,
when options were to be discussed to resolve the matter, no progress
was recorded and everything remained on the same level.
In their analyses, Azeri observers go so far, to mention that Russian
President Dmitry Medvedev's efforts to assist in the resolution of
the conflict in the Caucasus is related to the upcoming elections in
Russia because if he is able to achieve some improvement, it will be
for his benefit and a chance to improve his image with the Russian
people. And, because Armenia and Azerbaijan are small countries,
the West is not very interested in resolving the issue. That's a view.
Probably the situation will not change for a while as new means are
not being developed by the mediators.
Noyan Tapan
www.nt.am
19.08.2011
(Noyan Tapan - 19.08.2011) By Prof. Osheen Keshishian
Despite efforts by the international mediators, the European Union
members and particularly Russia, the Nagorno Karabakh settlement
issue does not seem to be imminent.
The OSCE Minsk Group as well as Armenia and Azerbaijan got ready
for the Kazan Meeting (June of this year), but nothing tangible was
accomplished, except it became evident that Azerbaijan put a monkey
wrench during the discussions, as Armenia's Foreign Minister stated.
Now, Azeri officials, publicly and approvingly are referring to the
10-points that Azerbaijan introduced during the meeting, thus creating
more problems for the future negotiations.
It is interesting that the international mediators are aware of
Azerbaijan's new proposals, and are not bringing them up. It is
very clear now that even the Azeri media is bringing that to the
front burner.
While Nagorno Karabakh, according to the then existing Constitution's
self-determination clause declared independence, yet Azeri President
Ilham Aliyev several times stressed that Nagorno Karabakh is part
of Azerbaijan and Azerbaijan will not relinquish an inch of land
to NKR and will give Nagorno Karabakh an autonomous status... As if
that was not enough, he even stated that Nagorno Karabakh was under
Azerbaijani rule for the past 600 years (sic). No one asked him as
to when did Azerbaijan get established? Was there an Azerbaijan 600
years ago? I think that the Armenian government or historians should
react to this statement and put the record straight, because the more
the unaware people read it, the more they start believing in it.
Similarly, Aliyev made a militaristic statement at a press conference
in Baku on July 29 that "there will come a time when Azerbaijan will
restore its sovereignty over Nagorno-Karabakh through peaceful or
military means." Reaction?
One Azeri political analyst even went so far to say that the United
States is supporting Karabakh so that it can use the Karabakh's
Stepanakert airport to attack the countries nearby....
Armenia's President has kept his cool and countenance. Following the
diatribe by Aliyev, who had mentioned that "something is missing in
the heads" of Armenian leaders, clearly and simply responded at a
press conference "Is that a statement by a normal individual, let
alone a leader of a country".
Similarly, following the Medvedev-Aliyev meeting in Sochi on August 9,
when options were to be discussed to resolve the matter, no progress
was recorded and everything remained on the same level.
In their analyses, Azeri observers go so far, to mention that Russian
President Dmitry Medvedev's efforts to assist in the resolution of
the conflict in the Caucasus is related to the upcoming elections in
Russia because if he is able to achieve some improvement, it will be
for his benefit and a chance to improve his image with the Russian
people. And, because Armenia and Azerbaijan are small countries,
the West is not very interested in resolving the issue. That's a view.
Probably the situation will not change for a while as new means are
not being developed by the mediators.