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ARMENIA TO SETTLE PRISONERS IN NAGORNO-KARABAKH
Vestnik Kavkaza
Dec 2 2011
Russia
The OSCE Minsk Group has held inspections in the Nagorno-Karabakh areas
and expresses interest in Armenian initiatives for settling occupied
Azerbaijani territories with prisoners. The idea caused shock both
in Azerbaijan and foreign expert societies monitoring the area.
Vestnik Kavkaza reported earlier that Armenia is developing a bill
on free territories for prisoners. It will soon be presented to the
Armenian president and parliament.
Armenia describes as free territories the lands it took from Azerbaijan
in the war of1992-1994.
Pushkin Serobyan, Chairman of the Human Rights Organization ~S23
August, National Alliance~T, said that settling prisoners in the area
would bring economic benefits.
Andrey Areshev, Deputy Director General of the Fund for Strategic
Culture, told Vestnik Kavkaza that he views the initiative as another
act of the propaganda war. It is obvious that such actions cannot be
realized, because Armenia is formally in a state of negotiations. The
co-chairs of the OSCE MG are monitoring settlement in the seven
territories. The idea of settling prisoners is chaotic and goes
against the will of the Armenian authorities. It is caused by the
complicated situation in certain parts of Armenia and overpopulation.
But the main reason is socio-economic. In some cases it is the
patriotic feelings of the settlers. Areshev concluded that realization
of the initiative is impossible.
Ismail Agakishiyev, head of the Center for Caucasus Studies of the
Russian State University for the Humanities, noted that such measures
would not contribute to a settlement of the Azerbaijani-Armenian
conflict and would make it more complicated instead. Looking at the
problem in a wider view, they can indeed move 100,000 or 150,000
people to the area but what would they get?
Armenia is in a difficult economic state, citizens are leaving the
country for a better life beyond their fatherland. And this is a
result of the authorities who have been in power for 20 years. Would
it not be more beneficial for Armenia to take steps towards lifting
the blockade of Turkey and Azerbaijan, rather than aggravating the
tense socio-economic situation?
>From a legal aspect, separatists in Nagorno-Karabakh have some sort
of independence, which fails to explain the reasons for settling its
citizens there. It shows that Armenia does not conceal the occupation
of Nagorno-Karabakh.
Such actions cause doubts about whether Armenia really wants to start
peace talks with its neighbor and whether it respects international
decisions, including the demands of the OSCE Minsk Group. The OSCE
MG was chosen as a trustworthy mediator because it consists of
authoritative states, Agakishiyev concludes.
From: Baghdasarian
Vestnik Kavkaza
Dec 2 2011
Russia
The OSCE Minsk Group has held inspections in the Nagorno-Karabakh areas
and expresses interest in Armenian initiatives for settling occupied
Azerbaijani territories with prisoners. The idea caused shock both
in Azerbaijan and foreign expert societies monitoring the area.
Vestnik Kavkaza reported earlier that Armenia is developing a bill
on free territories for prisoners. It will soon be presented to the
Armenian president and parliament.
Armenia describes as free territories the lands it took from Azerbaijan
in the war of1992-1994.
Pushkin Serobyan, Chairman of the Human Rights Organization ~S23
August, National Alliance~T, said that settling prisoners in the area
would bring economic benefits.
Andrey Areshev, Deputy Director General of the Fund for Strategic
Culture, told Vestnik Kavkaza that he views the initiative as another
act of the propaganda war. It is obvious that such actions cannot be
realized, because Armenia is formally in a state of negotiations. The
co-chairs of the OSCE MG are monitoring settlement in the seven
territories. The idea of settling prisoners is chaotic and goes
against the will of the Armenian authorities. It is caused by the
complicated situation in certain parts of Armenia and overpopulation.
But the main reason is socio-economic. In some cases it is the
patriotic feelings of the settlers. Areshev concluded that realization
of the initiative is impossible.
Ismail Agakishiyev, head of the Center for Caucasus Studies of the
Russian State University for the Humanities, noted that such measures
would not contribute to a settlement of the Azerbaijani-Armenian
conflict and would make it more complicated instead. Looking at the
problem in a wider view, they can indeed move 100,000 or 150,000
people to the area but what would they get?
Armenia is in a difficult economic state, citizens are leaving the
country for a better life beyond their fatherland. And this is a
result of the authorities who have been in power for 20 years. Would
it not be more beneficial for Armenia to take steps towards lifting
the blockade of Turkey and Azerbaijan, rather than aggravating the
tense socio-economic situation?
>From a legal aspect, separatists in Nagorno-Karabakh have some sort
of independence, which fails to explain the reasons for settling its
citizens there. It shows that Armenia does not conceal the occupation
of Nagorno-Karabakh.
Such actions cause doubts about whether Armenia really wants to start
peace talks with its neighbor and whether it respects international
decisions, including the demands of the OSCE Minsk Group. The OSCE
MG was chosen as a trustworthy mediator because it consists of
authoritative states, Agakishiyev concludes.
From: Baghdasarian