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Russia invites West to join it in safeguarding peace in South Caucas

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  • Russia invites West to join it in safeguarding peace in South Caucas

    RusData Dialine - Russian Press Digest
    September 30, 2011 Friday


    Russia invites West to join it in safeguarding peace in South Caucasus

    by Anna Khlyudova
    Nezavisimaya Gazeta


    Speaking at the 66th session of the UN General Assembly, Foreign
    Minister Sergei Lavrov declared that Russia was ready to act as a
    guarantor of peace in South Caucasus. He went on to invite the U.S.
    and EU to join Russia in this effort. Georgia appeared sarcastic about
    the prospect, Azerbaijan understanding and Armenia moderately
    optimistic.

    "Russia is determined to do everything possible to avert the use of
    force and escalation of violence in Caucasus," Lavrov said.

    The diverse reactions from countries across the region are indicative
    of Russia's current position in South Caucasus. This is the first time
    that Russia has asked the West for help. In the past, Russian leaders
    referred to the region as Russia's zone of responsibility.

    To some extent, Lavrov's statement sounded like a warning about a
    possible rerun of the August 2008 hostilities. Alexei Malashenko from
    Carnegie Moscow Center said Lavrov's statement means Russia has
    accepted the current realities and does not want to display any hint
    of imperial ambition ahead of Vladimir Putin's possible reelection as
    president. "If the West fails to stabilize the Georgia-Abkhazia-South
    Ossetia triangle, Russia will face less criticism," he said.

    Georgia responded by reminding Lavrov of the casualties it suffered at
    Russia's hands. Georgia said it was not going to sign any agreements
    with "its autonomous regions" but would agree to sign a non-use of
    force agreement with Russia if "the international community" - the
    West - is involved.

    EU spokesperson Maya Kocijancic sounded interested in Lavrov's
    proposal but added they still had to study the context of the Georgia
    conflict. Speaking about the Nagorno-Karabakh peace process, Lavrov
    proposed continued negotiations under the auspices of the OSCE Minsk
    Group, with light pressure put alternately on the conflicting parties.
    Armenia could buy this, but not Azerbaijan.

    Azerbaijan's Foreign Minister Elmar Mamedyarov, who also addressed the
    UN General Assembly in New York, reiterated the old conflict
    resolution requirements, including the pullout of Armenian forces and
    preservation of Azerbaijan's territorial integrity. His deputy, Khalaf
    Khalafov, was far blunter several days ago when he mentioned Armenia's
    " unwillingness to withdraw from the occupied territories."

    Armenia responded that a compromise involves concessions on both sides
    while Azerbaijan only makes demands and "ephemeral promises," which
    sound ridiculous from a country often criticized by PACE for
    backtracking on democracy by, for example, sanctioning "presidency for
    life", said Naira Zograbyan, head of the Armenian parliament's
    standing commission for European integration.

    "A joint approach to the Karabakh problem is possible if Russia,
    America and Europe develop a package agreement which complies with
    current realities, and Turkey demonstrates its non-resistance," said
    Konstantin Zatulin, head of the CIS Institute. "However, I do not
    believe Russia will be able to reach agreement with the West on all
    the South Caucasus issues, because we have very different views on the
    developments in Georgia, Abkhazia and South Ossetia," he added.

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