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MEDIATORS TEND TO REANIMATE NEGOTIATIONS AROUND KARABAKH CONFLICT
news.az, Azerbaijan
Sept 9 2011
News.Az interviews MP, professor Musa Gasimli.
Russian and French Foreign and Defense Ministers met in Moscow
discussing Karabakh conflict settlement around other issues. What
has caused the discussion of Karabakh conflict in such a format by
two of the three Minsk Group co-chairing states?
The meeting of Presidents of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev and Armenia Serzh
Sargsyan in Kazan mediated by Russian President Dmitriy Medvedev on
24 June 2011 made it clear that the negotiations around the Karabakh
conflict are deadlocked. As a rule, after the meeting of the presidents
of Azerbaijan and Armenia, Foreign Ministers discussed coordination
of specific details. But I believe that the current meeting of the
Foreign and Defense Ministers of Russia and France discussing the
issue of Karabakh settlement is a sign of prospect of the start of a
new process around the conflict settlement. It is not a secret for
anyone that the influence of the Minsk Group co-chairing countries
depends largely on their approach to this problem.
The past period has showed that the activity of the co-chairs is
not satisfactory, the Azerbaijani community has a negative attitude
to their activity, because the OSCE Minsk Group since the moment of
its creation in 1992 until now failed to fulfill its tasks. In other
words, the occupied lands were not liberated, Azerbaijani refugees
and displaced persons did not return home, issues related to open
communications remain unsettled, discussions around the status of
Nagorno Karabakh were not launched in the indicated period.
This situation undermines the authority of the Minsk Group co-chairing
states, forming a negative opinion about them, creating suspicions
about the sincerity of their intentions. I think that the discussion
of the Karabakh conflict by Russian and French foreign ministers
must be assessed as a launch of new initiatives on the way out of
the situation around the conflict. The mediators are determined to
reanimate the negotiation process.
Who do you think was the initiator of consultations between Russia
and France on Karabakh conflict?
I think that the Karabakh conflict settlement undermines Russia's
positions in this region. Russia will have to sponsor Armenia unless
it defends it, ignoring the fair position of Azerbaijan. Clearly,
Armenia won't be able to stand through this assistance. To be a real
superpower, Russia needs to cooperate with Azerbaijan. Additionally,
despite the absence of the strong Armenian lobby in France, official
Paris must also be interested in cooperation with Azerbaijan.
Therefore, it is not possible to say that the initiative of
consultations between Russia and France on the Karabakh conflict
settlement comes solely from one party. As a rule, such meetings are
not held when one of the parties does not show any interest.
May EU intensify in the Karabakh conflict settlement?
EU has interests in the South Caucasus region. But I think that the
mediation of one of the countries represented in the Minsk Group
around Karabakh conflict will further protract the process.
Is there a need for the presidents of Azerbaijan and Armenia to meet
unless the disputable points in peaceful agreement on Karabakh are
coordinated?
We should not refuse any chance of holding talks to attain peace. But
the Armenian president cannot be considered a state figure, because
his hands are in blood. He is the one who took part in the terror acts
and people's murder. Therefore, psychologically it is very difficult
to sit at the same table with such a person. In other words, on one
side of the table sits the Azerbaijani president who is perfectly well
aware of events in the international arena and on the other side is
the Armenian president, a murderer and terrorist.
Nonetheless, despite it all, Serzh Sargsyan is the Armenian leader
which is why despite difficulties, we need to continue talks with him.
From: A. Papazian
news.az, Azerbaijan
Sept 9 2011
News.Az interviews MP, professor Musa Gasimli.
Russian and French Foreign and Defense Ministers met in Moscow
discussing Karabakh conflict settlement around other issues. What
has caused the discussion of Karabakh conflict in such a format by
two of the three Minsk Group co-chairing states?
The meeting of Presidents of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev and Armenia Serzh
Sargsyan in Kazan mediated by Russian President Dmitriy Medvedev on
24 June 2011 made it clear that the negotiations around the Karabakh
conflict are deadlocked. As a rule, after the meeting of the presidents
of Azerbaijan and Armenia, Foreign Ministers discussed coordination
of specific details. But I believe that the current meeting of the
Foreign and Defense Ministers of Russia and France discussing the
issue of Karabakh settlement is a sign of prospect of the start of a
new process around the conflict settlement. It is not a secret for
anyone that the influence of the Minsk Group co-chairing countries
depends largely on their approach to this problem.
The past period has showed that the activity of the co-chairs is
not satisfactory, the Azerbaijani community has a negative attitude
to their activity, because the OSCE Minsk Group since the moment of
its creation in 1992 until now failed to fulfill its tasks. In other
words, the occupied lands were not liberated, Azerbaijani refugees
and displaced persons did not return home, issues related to open
communications remain unsettled, discussions around the status of
Nagorno Karabakh were not launched in the indicated period.
This situation undermines the authority of the Minsk Group co-chairing
states, forming a negative opinion about them, creating suspicions
about the sincerity of their intentions. I think that the discussion
of the Karabakh conflict by Russian and French foreign ministers
must be assessed as a launch of new initiatives on the way out of
the situation around the conflict. The mediators are determined to
reanimate the negotiation process.
Who do you think was the initiator of consultations between Russia
and France on Karabakh conflict?
I think that the Karabakh conflict settlement undermines Russia's
positions in this region. Russia will have to sponsor Armenia unless
it defends it, ignoring the fair position of Azerbaijan. Clearly,
Armenia won't be able to stand through this assistance. To be a real
superpower, Russia needs to cooperate with Azerbaijan. Additionally,
despite the absence of the strong Armenian lobby in France, official
Paris must also be interested in cooperation with Azerbaijan.
Therefore, it is not possible to say that the initiative of
consultations between Russia and France on the Karabakh conflict
settlement comes solely from one party. As a rule, such meetings are
not held when one of the parties does not show any interest.
May EU intensify in the Karabakh conflict settlement?
EU has interests in the South Caucasus region. But I think that the
mediation of one of the countries represented in the Minsk Group
around Karabakh conflict will further protract the process.
Is there a need for the presidents of Azerbaijan and Armenia to meet
unless the disputable points in peaceful agreement on Karabakh are
coordinated?
We should not refuse any chance of holding talks to attain peace. But
the Armenian president cannot be considered a state figure, because
his hands are in blood. He is the one who took part in the terror acts
and people's murder. Therefore, psychologically it is very difficult
to sit at the same table with such a person. In other words, on one
side of the table sits the Azerbaijani president who is perfectly well
aware of events in the international arena and on the other side is
the Armenian president, a murderer and terrorist.
Nonetheless, despite it all, Serzh Sargsyan is the Armenian leader
which is why despite difficulties, we need to continue talks with him.
From: A. Papazian