NAGORNO-KARABAKH: 'NEITHER PEACE NOR WAR'
Alexandra Zakharova
Voice of Russia
http://english.ruvr.ru/2012_07_10/Nagorno-Karabakh/
July 10 2012
The young people of Armenia and Azerbaijan are calling to bring to
naught all differences between the two neighbouring countries and to
settle the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.
They are organizing joint actions and are writing songs about
friendship. However, for the time being neither the residents of
Nagorno-Karabakh nor its authorities are ready for a compromise.
The 'Together' song appeared in the global network on Youtube after the
latest armed clashes on the Armenian-Azeri border. This song was sung
by Mger from Armenia, Leila Mammadova from Azerbaijan, and Aik Gulyan
from Karabakh. The "Together" song is in Russian because Russian is
a go-between language in the Caucasus Region. The languages of the
Caucasus and English are used in the refrains. All this is done to
draw the three sides closer together, the curator of the project
"Together" in Armenia Gayane Sarkisyan says.
"This song has enabled designers, musicians, poets and photographers
to communicate with their colleagues on the other side of the border
and to change their attitude to existing problems. This song will
have its own fate. It is being broadcast on the radio now. For the
time being, only in Armenia. We hope though that it will be broadcast
in the Russian-speaking countries too because it is in Russian."
In the 60s of the last century Nagorno-Karabakh made attempts to
break away from the Republic of Azerbaijan that was integrated
into the former USSR. At that time under discussion was setting up
another Soviet republic or Nagorno-Karabakh's integration into the
Armenian Soviet Socialist Republic. But when the USSR disintegrated,
Nagorno-Karabakh declared its independence. Then a protracted armed
conflict broke out that resulted in thousands of victims. As it
appears, now the situation has reached a deadlock there: neither peace
nor war. On the one hand, the authorities of Armenia and Azerbaijan
are seeking to peacefully settle the conflict. They favour the
establishment of cultural contacts between the two countries. On the
other hand, neither Armenia nor Azerbaijan wants to make concessions,
Chairman of the Society for Humanitarian Research (Azerbaijan) Abaz
Gassanov says.
"The people in Armenia and Azerbaijan do not want to change their
opinion. And the fact that the situation "Neither peace nor war"
presents a serious danger is not an object of concern to them. The
people in Karabakh do not want to strike a compromise with the
authorities. As soon as they become aware of the fact that the
settlement of the current conflict could be beneficial for both sides,
they will do their utmost to speed up the signing of a peace treaty."
Chairman of the European Integration Organization Karen Bakaryan says:
"It is necessary to promote confidence between Armenia and Azerbaijan
because when people begin to communicate, it will be very easy
to resolve political issues. The people in Armenia and Azerbaijan
are putting focus on the settlement of the conflict between the two
countries, while the Karabakh residents are concerned about personal
safety and the safety of their families."
Young musicians, poets, designers, PR-specialists and photographers
in Azerbaijan, Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh united their efforts last
October to step up the dialogue between the conflicting sides. They
formed the movement - "Together", aiming to bring the idea of peace
to everyone.
Alexandra Zakharova
Voice of Russia
http://english.ruvr.ru/2012_07_10/Nagorno-Karabakh/
July 10 2012
The young people of Armenia and Azerbaijan are calling to bring to
naught all differences between the two neighbouring countries and to
settle the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.
They are organizing joint actions and are writing songs about
friendship. However, for the time being neither the residents of
Nagorno-Karabakh nor its authorities are ready for a compromise.
The 'Together' song appeared in the global network on Youtube after the
latest armed clashes on the Armenian-Azeri border. This song was sung
by Mger from Armenia, Leila Mammadova from Azerbaijan, and Aik Gulyan
from Karabakh. The "Together" song is in Russian because Russian is
a go-between language in the Caucasus Region. The languages of the
Caucasus and English are used in the refrains. All this is done to
draw the three sides closer together, the curator of the project
"Together" in Armenia Gayane Sarkisyan says.
"This song has enabled designers, musicians, poets and photographers
to communicate with their colleagues on the other side of the border
and to change their attitude to existing problems. This song will
have its own fate. It is being broadcast on the radio now. For the
time being, only in Armenia. We hope though that it will be broadcast
in the Russian-speaking countries too because it is in Russian."
In the 60s of the last century Nagorno-Karabakh made attempts to
break away from the Republic of Azerbaijan that was integrated
into the former USSR. At that time under discussion was setting up
another Soviet republic or Nagorno-Karabakh's integration into the
Armenian Soviet Socialist Republic. But when the USSR disintegrated,
Nagorno-Karabakh declared its independence. Then a protracted armed
conflict broke out that resulted in thousands of victims. As it
appears, now the situation has reached a deadlock there: neither peace
nor war. On the one hand, the authorities of Armenia and Azerbaijan
are seeking to peacefully settle the conflict. They favour the
establishment of cultural contacts between the two countries. On the
other hand, neither Armenia nor Azerbaijan wants to make concessions,
Chairman of the Society for Humanitarian Research (Azerbaijan) Abaz
Gassanov says.
"The people in Armenia and Azerbaijan do not want to change their
opinion. And the fact that the situation "Neither peace nor war"
presents a serious danger is not an object of concern to them. The
people in Karabakh do not want to strike a compromise with the
authorities. As soon as they become aware of the fact that the
settlement of the current conflict could be beneficial for both sides,
they will do their utmost to speed up the signing of a peace treaty."
Chairman of the European Integration Organization Karen Bakaryan says:
"It is necessary to promote confidence between Armenia and Azerbaijan
because when people begin to communicate, it will be very easy
to resolve political issues. The people in Armenia and Azerbaijan
are putting focus on the settlement of the conflict between the two
countries, while the Karabakh residents are concerned about personal
safety and the safety of their families."
Young musicians, poets, designers, PR-specialists and photographers
in Azerbaijan, Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh united their efforts last
October to step up the dialogue between the conflicting sides. They
formed the movement - "Together", aiming to bring the idea of peace
to everyone.