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POTENTIAL OF ARMENIANS AND AZERBAIJAN WHO HAVE FRIENDLY TIES MUST BE USED
news.az
Sept 23 2011
Azerbaijan
News.Az reprints from Gun.Az an interview with Chairman of the
Humanitarian Research Society Avaz Hasanov.
What are your comments on hostile attitudes of Azerbaijani and Armenian
societies towards each other?
We face two big issues in terms of resolution of the Karabakh
conflict. The first is to liberate the occupied lands and then to
build normal ties with Armenian population of Nagorno-Karabakh.
Of course, there are people who have committed crimes against
Azerbaijanis among Armenian politicians and military men. Similarly,
there are people in Azerbaijan who have committed some sort of crime
against Armenians in the course of the hostilities. If Azerbaijan
and Armenia sign a truce some time in future, these crimes will be
investigated to determine whether they are crimes against humanity
or not.
I think seeing the entire Armenian society and Karabakh Armenians as
an enemy because of these people we play into the hands of Armenians.
Karabakh Armenians claim that "we try to come closer to Azerbaijan,
but it sees us as an enemy. We cannot live together with Azerbaijanis
in this case."
So, we must make efforts so that Armenian community of Nagorno-Karabakh
will have willingness to live with Azerbaijanis in future. We must
change our rhetoric, way of thinking in relation to them and try to
build normal ties with them.
What is people's diplomacy in the conflict resolution?
People's diplomacy was more widely used in previous years. But it
has weakened over the last five years despite serious advances in
negotiating process on an official level. I believe people's diplomacy
can benefit Azerbaijan in the conflict resolution. People dealing
with people's diplomacy do not put forward an official stance.
The countries involved with the OSCE Minsk Group call on Azerbaijani
and Armenian leadership to work closely with their civil societies
to explain them what they will win and what they will lost after the
war ends.
Today it seems unrealistic for any state official to go to Khankandi
and introduce himself as a minister in this area and some other senior
official. But it would no harm to a country if a leader of some NGO
meets simple people, media representatives and even officials there.
This is because this person speaks on his own, but not on behalf of
the state. If a country takes advantage of this and sends a message
to people living in Nagorno-Karabakh, it can help to normalize ties.
Therefore, the authorities should not limit people's diplomacy. On
the contrary, the state should render every support to people who
are involved in people's diplomacy.
Have you tripped to Armenia as a representative of people's diplomacy?
I visited last Armenia in October last year. I have visited
Nagorno-Karabakh and Armenia numerous times before. Unfortunately,
it is almost impossible to trip to Nagorno-Karabakh today.
This is because Nagorno-Karabakh has toughened its stance due to
protracted talks between Armenia and Azerbaijan. Frequent visits of
Azerbaijanis to Nagorno-Karabakh can dispel the myth about hostile
attitude of Azerbaijanis against Armenians and soften stance of
Karabakh Armenians towards Azerbaijan.
Unfortunately, there are certain negative myths about Azerbaijan in
Armenian society. Armenian authorities try to assure the public that
Azerbaijanis have allegedly forgotten Nagorno-Karabakh, they think
about nothing, but war and all Azerbaijanis hate Armenians. Therefore,
there is a great need to dispel these myths and arrange trips to
Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh in order to raise awareness of simple
Armenians about realities.
Have the Armenian society changed its attitude towards Azerbaijan to
a certain degree compared to previous years?
Both Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh have the same attitude to
Azerbaijan. Simply, there is more fear towards Azerbaijan among
Nagorno-Karabakh Armenians. Therefore, security is a primary concern
for Nagorno-Karabakh. They seem not to be satisfied with any guarantee
promised by Azerbaijan.
Armenia is more concerned over how it will determine the destiny of
Nagorno-Karabakh with Azerbaijan. Armenians firmly believed that
it was easy to tear Nagorno-Karabakh away from Azerbaijan 5 to 10
years ago. But they have eased their claims at present. They think
what it needs to be discussed with Azerbaijan to gain independence
for Nagorno-Karabakh.
Armenians believe that Azerbaijan will agree to a higher status for
Nagorno-Karabakh some time in future. Therefore, Azerbaijan should
let Armenian society to know that one-sided resolution of the Karabakh
conflict will never bring stability to the region. We also must dispel
negative myths and views about Azerbaijanis in Armenian public.
Will resolution of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict enable to resume
peace and stability in the region?
I think it will be possible to achieve peace in the region in
20-25 years. It is impossible for the region to be independent at
the moment as Russia hinders this. Armenian hoped that hydrocarbon
reserves of Azerbaijan will reduce and its standing in the region
will weaken. But the quite opposite of it happened. Discovery of new
deposits in Azerbaijan and country's stronger position as a transit
country shattered hopes of Armenians.
At current stage, both Azerbaijani and Armenian societies should work
to normalize ties and come to a common denominator in resolution
of Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. The potential of Azerbaijanis and
Armenians who have friendly and acquaintance relations must be used
in normalization of relations.
From: Baghdasarian
news.az
Sept 23 2011
Azerbaijan
News.Az reprints from Gun.Az an interview with Chairman of the
Humanitarian Research Society Avaz Hasanov.
What are your comments on hostile attitudes of Azerbaijani and Armenian
societies towards each other?
We face two big issues in terms of resolution of the Karabakh
conflict. The first is to liberate the occupied lands and then to
build normal ties with Armenian population of Nagorno-Karabakh.
Of course, there are people who have committed crimes against
Azerbaijanis among Armenian politicians and military men. Similarly,
there are people in Azerbaijan who have committed some sort of crime
against Armenians in the course of the hostilities. If Azerbaijan
and Armenia sign a truce some time in future, these crimes will be
investigated to determine whether they are crimes against humanity
or not.
I think seeing the entire Armenian society and Karabakh Armenians as
an enemy because of these people we play into the hands of Armenians.
Karabakh Armenians claim that "we try to come closer to Azerbaijan,
but it sees us as an enemy. We cannot live together with Azerbaijanis
in this case."
So, we must make efforts so that Armenian community of Nagorno-Karabakh
will have willingness to live with Azerbaijanis in future. We must
change our rhetoric, way of thinking in relation to them and try to
build normal ties with them.
What is people's diplomacy in the conflict resolution?
People's diplomacy was more widely used in previous years. But it
has weakened over the last five years despite serious advances in
negotiating process on an official level. I believe people's diplomacy
can benefit Azerbaijan in the conflict resolution. People dealing
with people's diplomacy do not put forward an official stance.
The countries involved with the OSCE Minsk Group call on Azerbaijani
and Armenian leadership to work closely with their civil societies
to explain them what they will win and what they will lost after the
war ends.
Today it seems unrealistic for any state official to go to Khankandi
and introduce himself as a minister in this area and some other senior
official. But it would no harm to a country if a leader of some NGO
meets simple people, media representatives and even officials there.
This is because this person speaks on his own, but not on behalf of
the state. If a country takes advantage of this and sends a message
to people living in Nagorno-Karabakh, it can help to normalize ties.
Therefore, the authorities should not limit people's diplomacy. On
the contrary, the state should render every support to people who
are involved in people's diplomacy.
Have you tripped to Armenia as a representative of people's diplomacy?
I visited last Armenia in October last year. I have visited
Nagorno-Karabakh and Armenia numerous times before. Unfortunately,
it is almost impossible to trip to Nagorno-Karabakh today.
This is because Nagorno-Karabakh has toughened its stance due to
protracted talks between Armenia and Azerbaijan. Frequent visits of
Azerbaijanis to Nagorno-Karabakh can dispel the myth about hostile
attitude of Azerbaijanis against Armenians and soften stance of
Karabakh Armenians towards Azerbaijan.
Unfortunately, there are certain negative myths about Azerbaijan in
Armenian society. Armenian authorities try to assure the public that
Azerbaijanis have allegedly forgotten Nagorno-Karabakh, they think
about nothing, but war and all Azerbaijanis hate Armenians. Therefore,
there is a great need to dispel these myths and arrange trips to
Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh in order to raise awareness of simple
Armenians about realities.
Have the Armenian society changed its attitude towards Azerbaijan to
a certain degree compared to previous years?
Both Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh have the same attitude to
Azerbaijan. Simply, there is more fear towards Azerbaijan among
Nagorno-Karabakh Armenians. Therefore, security is a primary concern
for Nagorno-Karabakh. They seem not to be satisfied with any guarantee
promised by Azerbaijan.
Armenia is more concerned over how it will determine the destiny of
Nagorno-Karabakh with Azerbaijan. Armenians firmly believed that
it was easy to tear Nagorno-Karabakh away from Azerbaijan 5 to 10
years ago. But they have eased their claims at present. They think
what it needs to be discussed with Azerbaijan to gain independence
for Nagorno-Karabakh.
Armenians believe that Azerbaijan will agree to a higher status for
Nagorno-Karabakh some time in future. Therefore, Azerbaijan should
let Armenian society to know that one-sided resolution of the Karabakh
conflict will never bring stability to the region. We also must dispel
negative myths and views about Azerbaijanis in Armenian public.
Will resolution of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict enable to resume
peace and stability in the region?
I think it will be possible to achieve peace in the region in
20-25 years. It is impossible for the region to be independent at
the moment as Russia hinders this. Armenian hoped that hydrocarbon
reserves of Azerbaijan will reduce and its standing in the region
will weaken. But the quite opposite of it happened. Discovery of new
deposits in Azerbaijan and country's stronger position as a transit
country shattered hopes of Armenians.
At current stage, both Azerbaijani and Armenian societies should work
to normalize ties and come to a common denominator in resolution
of Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. The potential of Azerbaijanis and
Armenians who have friendly and acquaintance relations must be used
in normalization of relations.
From: Baghdasarian