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DIALOGUE BETWEEN COMMUNITIES TO HELP KARABAKH CONFLICT SETTLEMENT
news.az
Dec 1 2011
Azerbaijan
News.Az interviews Milli Majlis deputy, political scientist Rasim
Musabayov.
Berlin has hosted discussion of issues, related to the resolution of
the Karabakh conflict. What do you, as a participant of this event,
think were the results of this event?
Armenian community members, who did not attend the forum
'Dialogue-Nagorno Karabakh' in Berlin have in fact harmed themselves.
Everyone could see that Karabakh consists of not only Armenians. It
again showed that the statement of non-acceptance by Azerbaijanis of
co-existence with Armenians in a myth. In other words, Armenian side
avoided communication at that time when Azerbaijani side could voice
its position. During the forum, we proved again that Azerbaijanis are
ready for co-existence in Karabakh, while Armenians are not. I have
to say that this factor is treated seriously in Europe. This could
be noticed among German organizers of the event, who regretted that
the Armenian community did not attend.
The matter is that Armenians of Nagorno Karabakh benefit from
monopolizing the right to speak on behalf of this region. For this
reason, Armenian side avoided the meeting with the Azerbaijani
community of Karabakh. However, the meeting was attended by
representatives of the Armenian and Azerbaijani communities of
Germany, but representatives of the Armenian community of Karabakh
have so far avoided the meeting, though, as I have already noted,
Europeans are negative on such evasions.
Can such meetings change position of the hostile parties in the
negotiation process?
Over the past years, the world community has developed an opinion that
only the Armenian community has the right to live in Nagorno Karabakh.
In fact, the role of the Azerbaijani community of Karabakh was not
perceived on the due level in the world. However, if we look into
the root of the problem, it will be clear that Armenians of Nagorno
Karabakh make just 1.5% of the whole population of Azerbaijan.
Meanwhile, the share of Azerbaijanis of Nagorno Karabakh topped 25%
even by official Soviet statistics. In this case, why shouldn't their
opinion be taken into account. This issue must be viewed in context
of security and definition of the status of Nagorno Karabakh. In this
case, the mechanical dictation of the minority's will to the majority
is out of the question. If such dictating is perceived as a basis,
then the question is why not take into account the will of the whole
Azerbaijan. In the end, the matter comes not only to security or
granting the highest or lowest status to Nagorno Karabakh but also
to the fact that Azerbaijanis of Karabakh are deprived of the basic
right of living in the native lands.
Do you consider that if the two communities of Karabakh develop
trustful relations, there will be no need to deploy international
peacekeepers in the conflict area?
It is now early to speak about this. Now we can speak only about
restoration of a dialogue so that to push the peace process forward.
Unless the official status of Nagorno Karabakh is defined,
Azerbaijanis of the region must get an opportunity to return home
in safe conditions. In addition, I believe that the community will
attain a common denominator on the status of Nagorno Karabakh in
conditions off the dialogue between communities. Anyway, it is time
to launch such a dialogue between Azerbaijani and Armenian communities
of Nagorno Karabakh.
Which proposals of the Azerbaijani authorities can be attractive for
the Armenian community of Nagorno Karabakh so that they could renounce
their separatist sentiments?
Certainly, these issues can be discussed after the territories
around Nagorno Karabakh are liberated, since cost of oil products,
electric power, natural gas for population is much lower than in
Armenia. These preferences can be available for Azerbaijanis and
Armenians of Nagorno Karabakh.
It should be taken into account that the budget of Nagorno Karabakh,
even with respect to subsidies from Armenia, does not top $185m.
Meanwhile, the figure in reality can be even lower than the declared
amount. Meanwhile, the budget of Nakhchivan reaches $450m. In other
words, the budget of Nakhchivan exceeds the budget of Nagorno Karabakh
by 2.5 times. Thus, this budget of Nakhchivan is attained through
subsidies made by the budget of Azerbaijan. I want to say that the
population of Nagorno Karabakh could enjoy the same preferences. In
the future, the government of Azerbaijan will provide a greater part
of the population of Nagorno Karabakh from both the Azerbaijani and
Armenian community of the region, with an opportunity to use the same
preferences as the whole population of the country. Self-government
and security can also be attributed to these preferences.
news.az
Dec 1 2011
Azerbaijan
News.Az interviews Milli Majlis deputy, political scientist Rasim
Musabayov.
Berlin has hosted discussion of issues, related to the resolution of
the Karabakh conflict. What do you, as a participant of this event,
think were the results of this event?
Armenian community members, who did not attend the forum
'Dialogue-Nagorno Karabakh' in Berlin have in fact harmed themselves.
Everyone could see that Karabakh consists of not only Armenians. It
again showed that the statement of non-acceptance by Azerbaijanis of
co-existence with Armenians in a myth. In other words, Armenian side
avoided communication at that time when Azerbaijani side could voice
its position. During the forum, we proved again that Azerbaijanis are
ready for co-existence in Karabakh, while Armenians are not. I have
to say that this factor is treated seriously in Europe. This could
be noticed among German organizers of the event, who regretted that
the Armenian community did not attend.
The matter is that Armenians of Nagorno Karabakh benefit from
monopolizing the right to speak on behalf of this region. For this
reason, Armenian side avoided the meeting with the Azerbaijani
community of Karabakh. However, the meeting was attended by
representatives of the Armenian and Azerbaijani communities of
Germany, but representatives of the Armenian community of Karabakh
have so far avoided the meeting, though, as I have already noted,
Europeans are negative on such evasions.
Can such meetings change position of the hostile parties in the
negotiation process?
Over the past years, the world community has developed an opinion that
only the Armenian community has the right to live in Nagorno Karabakh.
In fact, the role of the Azerbaijani community of Karabakh was not
perceived on the due level in the world. However, if we look into
the root of the problem, it will be clear that Armenians of Nagorno
Karabakh make just 1.5% of the whole population of Azerbaijan.
Meanwhile, the share of Azerbaijanis of Nagorno Karabakh topped 25%
even by official Soviet statistics. In this case, why shouldn't their
opinion be taken into account. This issue must be viewed in context
of security and definition of the status of Nagorno Karabakh. In this
case, the mechanical dictation of the minority's will to the majority
is out of the question. If such dictating is perceived as a basis,
then the question is why not take into account the will of the whole
Azerbaijan. In the end, the matter comes not only to security or
granting the highest or lowest status to Nagorno Karabakh but also
to the fact that Azerbaijanis of Karabakh are deprived of the basic
right of living in the native lands.
Do you consider that if the two communities of Karabakh develop
trustful relations, there will be no need to deploy international
peacekeepers in the conflict area?
It is now early to speak about this. Now we can speak only about
restoration of a dialogue so that to push the peace process forward.
Unless the official status of Nagorno Karabakh is defined,
Azerbaijanis of the region must get an opportunity to return home
in safe conditions. In addition, I believe that the community will
attain a common denominator on the status of Nagorno Karabakh in
conditions off the dialogue between communities. Anyway, it is time
to launch such a dialogue between Azerbaijani and Armenian communities
of Nagorno Karabakh.
Which proposals of the Azerbaijani authorities can be attractive for
the Armenian community of Nagorno Karabakh so that they could renounce
their separatist sentiments?
Certainly, these issues can be discussed after the territories
around Nagorno Karabakh are liberated, since cost of oil products,
electric power, natural gas for population is much lower than in
Armenia. These preferences can be available for Azerbaijanis and
Armenians of Nagorno Karabakh.
It should be taken into account that the budget of Nagorno Karabakh,
even with respect to subsidies from Armenia, does not top $185m.
Meanwhile, the figure in reality can be even lower than the declared
amount. Meanwhile, the budget of Nakhchivan reaches $450m. In other
words, the budget of Nakhchivan exceeds the budget of Nagorno Karabakh
by 2.5 times. Thus, this budget of Nakhchivan is attained through
subsidies made by the budget of Azerbaijan. I want to say that the
population of Nagorno Karabakh could enjoy the same preferences. In
the future, the government of Azerbaijan will provide a greater part
of the population of Nagorno Karabakh from both the Azerbaijani and
Armenian community of the region, with an opportunity to use the same
preferences as the whole population of the country. Self-government
and security can also be attributed to these preferences.